US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers, arrested a total of 82 individuals from 26 different countries during a five-day operation focused in Virginia and the District of Columbia that ran from March 26 to 30.
Of the 82 individuals arrested, 68 had previous criminal convictions for crimes like armed robbery, larceny and drug distribution.
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.
Arrests included:
- On March 26, ERO officers arrested a 50-year-old citizen and national of Somalia in Falls Church, Virginia. He was identified as a second lieutenant in command of the Somalian National Security Service, an organization known for human rights abuses, rape, torture and extrajudicial killings. He also has a felony drug conviction.
- 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 28, ERO officers arrested a 45-year-old citizen and national of the Dominican Republic in Chesterfield, Virginia. He has felony convictions for sale of a cocaine and attempted robbery.
- On March 29, ERO officers arrested a 22-year-old citizen and national of Honduras in Fairfax, Virginia. He has felony convictions for stolen goods and grand larceny.
- On March 29, ERO officers arrested a 34-year-old citizen and national of El Salvador in Chesterfield for being a documented MS-13 gang member who was previously removed from the United States in 2006.
- On March 30, ERO officers arrested a 57-year-old citizen and national of Honduras in Richmond, Virginia. She has felony convictions for grand larceny and inflicting corporal injury to spouse.
(Learn More about ICE ERO, courtesy of ICE and YouTube)
“ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement operations focused on criminal aliens,” said ERO Washington Field Office Director Yvonne Evans.
“This week’s operation successfully removed immigration violators with a variety of criminal convictions ranging from driving under the influence to grand larceny from our communities.”
The arrestees were citizens and/or nationals of several different countries across the globe, including 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.
Arrests took place across Virginia, with two taking place in the District and one in Maryland.
Arrested individuals who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country.
The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge, or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.
