ICE arrests 69 convicted criminal aliens in New Jersey
NEWARK, N.J. – During a three-day targeted enforcement effort in New Jersey, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 69 convicted criminal aliens.
The arrests, made from June 23 through June 25, were made throughout New Jersey, with multiple arrests in cities such as Lakewood, Jersey City, Newark, Trenton, Cherry Hill, Paterson, Secaucus and Elizabeth. Of the 69 taken into custody by ERO, 51 met the agency’s highest priority level due to felony convictions or participation in a criminal street gang. An additional 18 arrestees met the second level of priorities for enforcement due to serious or multiple misdemeanor convictions.
Many of the criminal aliens taken into custody had prior convictions for serious or violent offenses including: child sexual assault, child abuse, aggravated assault, battery, DUI, weapons and significant drug possession or distribution convictions.
"The results of this targeted enforcement operation underscore ICE's ongoing commitment to public safety and the enforcement of priorities set by DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson in November 2014," said John Tsoukaris, field office director of ERO Newark. "When we focus on the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens we contribute immediately to making our communities safer. Because of the tireless efforts and teamwork of ICE officers – along with our law enforcement partners – there are 69 fewer criminal aliens in our neighborhoods."
The arrested aliens came from Afghanistan, Albania, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, South Korea, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Trinidad, Tunisia, United Kingdom and Uruguay.
All 69 were arrested administratively for being in violation of immigration law, and all are being held in ICE custody pending immigration removal proceedings or removal from the United States.
Some of those arrested during this operation include:
- A Dominican Republic male convicted of attempted criminal sexual contact of a minor,
- A Haitian male convicted of felony burglary, felony theft, and two felony drug convictions.
- A Mexican male convicted of conspiracy to distribute hash, and
- A Dominican Republic male convicted of aggravated assault and promoting prostitution.
In fiscal year 2014, ICE conducted 315,943 removals nationwide. Eighty-five percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.
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