ICE arrests 50 criminal aliens and immigration fugitives in central and south Texas during 3-day operation

SAN ANTONIO — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 50 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and other immigration violators during a three-day operation which concluded Thursday.

The operation was conducted by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Fugitive Operations Teams throughout central and south Texas as part of the agency's commitment to prioritize the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration violators. These arrests occurred in San Antonio (25), Austin (18) and Waco (7).

Of the individuals taken into custody, 30 were criminal aliens whose convictions include: sex offenses, rape, larceny, drug possession, domestic violence, aggravated assault, and driving under the influence. The group also included four immigration fugitives who had outstanding orders of deportation and nine previously deported aliens. Anyone who re-enters the United States after having been deported commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.

Those arrested during the operation include:

• A 56-year-old Mexican national with convictions for indecency with a child and larceny. He was arrested April 1 in San Antonio. He is being held in ICE custody pending a hearing before an immigration judge;
• A previously deported 48-year-old Canadian national with convictions for aggravated assault, robbery and possessing cocaine. She was arrested April 2 in San Antonio. She is pending deportation;
• A 57-year-old Mexican national with convictions for two charges of assault with bodily injury, criminal trespassing and driving while intoxicated. He was arrested April 1 in San Antonio. He is being held in ICE custody pending a hearing before an immigration judge.

"The results of this operation underscore ICE's ongoing focus to arrest convicted criminal aliens who prey upon our communities and who chose to ignore our nation's immigration laws," said Enrique M. Lucero, field office director for ICE ERO in San Antonio.

Following is the nationality breakdown of the 45 men and five women arrested during this operation: Mexico (45), Honduras (2), Guatemala (1), Canada (1) and Ukraine (1).

In fiscal year 2013, ICE conducted 368,644 removals nationwide. Eighty-two percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.