ICE arrests 75 in weeklong operation in Michigan, Ohio

Detroit — During the first week of February, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested 75 foreign nationals in Michigan and Ohio, including an El Salvador alleged gang member, officials said.

The agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations targeted at-large criminals and immigration violators in the two states from Feb. 1-7.

“ICE officers are first and foremost focused on removing criminal aliens from the community,” said Rebecca Adducci, field office director of ICE ERO in Michigan and Ohio. “I applaud the dedicated men and women of ICE and our partners who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, often in the face of great personal danger.”

Among those arrested was an alleged MS-13 gang member who was in the United States illegally and wanted in El Salvador for a homicide, ICE officials said.

Others arrested include a 52-year-old citizen of Mexico in Wyoming, Michigan, for possession of narcotics and driving while impaired. In Detroit, a 53-year-old citizen of Honduras with previous convictions for operating under the influence of alcohol was picked up.  In Sterling Heights, a 55-year-old citizen of Iraq was arrested who has convictions for larceny, breaking and entering, and drug convictions, ICE officials said.

Of those arrested during the week, 70% had prior arrests and/or criminal convictions. The individuals are nationals of Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Costa Rica; El Salvador; Guatemala; Guinea; Honduras; Iraq; Israel and the Occupied Territories; Jamaica; Lebanon; Mexico; Nigeria; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Thailand; Trinidad and Tobago; and Tunisia.

During the 2019 fiscal year, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested about 143,000 people and removed 267,000 nationwide, an increase in removals from the previous year. 

Nearly 15,000 people were arrested by the Detroit Field Office between October 2018 and September 2019, according to ERO statistics.

While the number of those apprehended or found inadmissible at the border nationwide has increased 68% over the previous fiscal year, the total number of ICE arrests has dropped nearly 10%, the agency said. 

The agency said 86% of the arrests made during fiscal year 2019 either had criminal convictions or were facing criminal charges at the time of their arrest.

Source: Detroit News
srahal@detroitnews.com