ICE Operation Leads to Arrests of 2,400 Convicted Criminal Aliens

On June 21, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrests of more than 2,400 convicted criminal aliens and immigration fugitives as a result of a seven-day operation. The "Cross Check" enforcement operation took place in May of this year.

"The results of this operation underscore ICE's ongoing focus on arresting those convicted criminal aliens who prey upon on our communities, and tracking down fugitives who game our nation's immigration system," said ICE Director John Morton. "This targeted enforcement operation is a direct result of excellent teamwork among law enforcement agencies who share a commitment to protect public safety."

ICE officers from all 24 ICE Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices across the nation arrested more than 2,400 criminal aliens with convictions in all 50 states. Throughout the operation, more than 500 ICE agents and officers worked with the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and state and local law enforcement partners across the United States.

All of those arrested were convicted of crimes including armed robbery, drug trafficking, child abuse, sexual crimes against minors, aggravated assault, theft, forgery and driving under the influence. In addition, 22 percent of those arrested were immigration fugitives with prior convictions and outstanding orders of deportation who had failed to leave the country.

Some of those arrested include:

• A 32 year old man from the Dominican Republic, who is a registered sex offender convicted of assault, battery on a household member, indecent exposure and battery of a child;

• A 37 year old man from Mexico convicted of aggravated felony sex crime and rape of an unconscious victim; and

• A 47 year old man from Mexico convicted of injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury, burglary, marijuana possession, driving while license suspended and indecency with a child by sexual contact.

The first successful Cross Check operation was completed in December 2009. Since then, these operations have been conducted in 37 states, including regional operations in the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest regions.
To date in fiscal year 2011, ICE has removed more than 109,700 criminal aliens from the United States. This includes more than 585 criminal aliens convicted of homicide and approximately 3,200 convicted sex offenders.