Feds Nab 23 In Conn. During National Immigration Sweep

Federal Authorities Nab 23 In Connecticut During National Immigration Sweep

By HILLARY FEDERICO, hfederico@courant.com
The Hartford Courant

7:54 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2011
Twenty-three people living in Connecticut were arrested during a week-long national immigration sweep aimed at targeting convicted criminal aliens and criminal fugitives, federal authorities announced on Wednesday.

The national Cross Check operation was the second of its kind to be conducted by members of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since May 2011. The arrests include criminal fugitives, criminal aliens who illegally re-entered the United States after having been removed and at-large criminal aliens.

ICE on Wednesday did not immediately release the names of the people who had been arrested. Of the 23 arrests, five were made in Danbury, four were made in Stamford, three were made in Hartford, two were made in Meriden and one arrest was made in Ansonia, Bridgeport, East Haven, Glastonbury, Middletown, New London, Stratford and Windsor.

Stratford "The results of this targeted enforcement operation underscore ICE's ongoing commitment and focus on the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens and those that game our nation's immigration system," said ICE Director John Morton in a press release. "Because of the tireless efforts and teamwork of ICE officers and agents in tracking down at large criminal aliens and fugitives, there are 2,901 fewer criminal aliens in our neighborhoods across the country."

The seven-day operation involved the collaboration of more than 1,900 ICE officers and agents from all of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations' 24 field offices, as well as coordination with state and local police throughout the country. Arrests occurred in all 50 states and four U.S. territories.

All of the 2,901 individuals taken into custody had prior criminal convictions including at least 1,282 aliens who had multiple criminal convictions, a spokesperson for the agency said. More than 1,600 of those arrested had felony convictions including manslaughter, attempted murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, drug trafficking, child abuse, sexual crimes against minors, and aggravated assault. Of the total 2,901 criminal aliens arrested, 42 were gang members and 151 were convicted sex offenders

http://www.courant.com/community/ansoni ... 9076.story