596 immigrants convicted of crimes nabbed in South

By GREG BLUESTEIN
Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA -- Federal agents say they arrested 596 immigrants with criminal records during a three-day immigration enforcement sweep across the Southeast in their biggest operation yet.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said Friday the three-day operation - dubbed Operation Cross Check - was the largest sweep the agency has ever conducted targeting foreign nationals convicted of crimes. They said the immigrants have already served their sentences and that authorities will now seek to deport them.

Atlanta ICE Field Director Felicia Skinner says that "communities around the Southeast are safer than they were before" as a result of the operation. She said three of the people arrested this week were convicted of murder and 144 were convicted on assault charges.

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