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ICE arrest 82 people during operation focused in Virginia, DC

Posted at 7:50 PM, Apr 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-05 20:26:20-04

(Photo: WTVR)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A March operation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) resulted in the arrests of more than 80 people in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

Sixty-eight, of the 82 people arrested during the five-day operation, had previous criminal convictions for crimes like armed robbery, larceny and drug distribution, according to ICE.

“Of the remaining 14, two had ties to the MS-13 street gang; two had outstanding final orders of removal; three had overstayed their visas; one was wanted by a foreign law enforcement entity; one was a verified human rights violator; and two had pending local charges. The remainder had unlawfully entered the United States in violation of U.S. immigration laws,” according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson.

A 34-year-old documented MS-13 gang member, previously removed from the United States in 2006, was arrested in Chesterfield on March 29, according to ICE.

Other local arrests released by ICE included:

  • On March 26, ERO officers arrested a 40-year-old citizen and national of Trinidad and Tobago in Norfolk, Virginia. He has felony drug distribution and firearm possession convictions.
  • On March 26, ERO officers arrested a 35-year-old citizen and national of Guatemala in Suffolk, Virginia. He has a conviction for driving under the influence.
  • On March 27, ERO officers arrested a 30-year-old citizen and national of Jamaica in Norfolk. He has felony convictions for forgery and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

“ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement operations focused on criminal aliens,” ERO Washington Field Office Director Yvonne Evans said. “This operation successfully removed immigration violators with a variety of criminal convictions ranging from driving under the influence to grand larceny from our communities.”

Those arrested hailed from 26 different countries Algeria, Bolivia, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Iran, Jamaica, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Somalia, South Korea, Sudan, Trinidad, Vietnam and Sierra Leone.

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, had previously “strongly condemned” the ICE operation.