Federal agents sweep Tahoe for illegal immigrants
By Karen McIntyre
Sierra Sun

Forty-two residents living illegally in the greater Tahoe area were taken from their homes and businesses June 30 and July 1 in a raid by federal agents.

Of the 42 arrested, 21 were immigration fugitives, which means they were ordered to deport by an immigration judge and refused to comply, said Virginia Kice, western regional communications director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Six of the detainees had previous criminal convictions.

The sweep was part of the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Program.

The men and women arrested came from Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras, Kice said. They were detained throughout the Tahoe area, including Kings Beach, South Lake Tahoe and Truckee, as well as Carson City and Reno.

Citing privacy issues, Kice said she would not release any names because the people were arrested on administrative warrants for immigration violations, which are not criminal arrests.

The fugitives were taken to local offices to be processed, and six people were released pending supervision. The remaining 36 were taken into custody and transported to detention facilities.

Those who had not gone before an immigration judge with the Department of Justice had that opportunity, but those who had previously been ordered to deport will be removed from the country “as quickly and efficiently as possible,â€