http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satel ... 3353057900

Wednesday, October 10, 2007
16 arrests reported by ICE in city


By Dan Galindo
JOURNAL REPORTER


Give your opinion on this story

Federal immigration agents arrested 16 people in Winston-Salem last month as part of a nationwide roundup of foreigners who authorities say are members of violent gangs.

The arrests, announced yesterday, were part of Operation Community Shield, in which agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement worked with local law-enforcement agencies to arrest 1,313 people in 19 states. Those arrested were either members of a violent gang, associates of gang members, or illegal immigrants, officials said.

In North Carolina, 93 people were arrested, including 50 arrested by agents with the Cary office of ICE and 43 arrested by agents based in a satellite office in Winston-Salem. Those 43 arrests include 15 people in Alamance County, nine in Lee County and three in Greensboro.

Tom O’Connell, the resident ICE agent in charge of the Cary office, said that the arrests were focused on people identified as being involved with gangs.

“We weren’t out sweeping the streets,â€