Thread: ICE rounds up 13 criminal aliens; set for deportation MA.

ICE rounds up 13 criminal aliens; set for deportation

By Jim Patten jpatten@eagletribune.com

LAWRENCE — Thirteen criminal aliens were arrested during a two-day sweep in Lawrence and Methuen and are being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation.

Authorities announced yesterday the arrests were made last week and that all 13 suspects had prior criminal convictions.

Eleven of them had multiple criminal convictions including possession of an illegal firearm, assault, assault and battery on a police officer; possessing and selling dangerous drugs and drunken driving.

"When we focus on the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens we get an immediate payback in our communities......there are 13 fewer criminal aliens in our neighborhoods in Massachusetts," said Vincent Archibeque, deputy field office director of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston.

The Lawrence Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Essex County Sheriff's Office, Massachusetts Probation Service and ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted in the operation.

Of those arrested, all 13 were men and nationals of the following countries: one from Guatemala, one from Peru and 11 from the Dominican Republic. All were between the ages of 23 and 51.

Dubbed Operation Threats Against The Community, the enforcement effort was conducted on Thursday and Friday of last week.

ICE rounds up 13 criminal aliens; set for deportation » Merrimack Valley » EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA