Thread: ICE Announces Immigration Arrests In Northern Va.

ICE announces immigration arrests in northern Va.

By: MATTHEW BARAKAT 03/23/11 12:51 PM

Associated Press

More than 160 foreign nationals — most of them illegal immigrants with criminal records — were arrested in northern Virginia over a three-day enforcement surge involving federal, state and local police, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton said Wednesday.

The enforcement sweep, conducted between Sunday and Tuesday, ensnared men and women from 32 countries, including eight individuals who had been convicted of sex offenses.

Morton announced the arrests at a press conference in Manassas, where political leaders have faulted ICE for failing to enforce the nation's immigration laws aggressively enough.

"We are dedicated to the removal of criminal offenders from our country," Morton said, arguing that ICE has removed more illegal immigrants from the country in the last two years than it ever had.

Of the 163 arrests, roughly 130 were people with criminal records — 85 for felonies and 45 with misdemeanors, Morton said.

While the enforcement action targeted illegal immigrants with criminal records, more than 30 of those arrested had no criminal convictions but were nevertheless in the U.S. unlawfully, according to ICE.

Morton said that while their focus is in criminal aliens, "we're not going to turn a blind eye" to others who cross paths with ICE and who are in the country illegally but have not committed any other offense.

While ICE places its highest priorities on those who have committed the most serious crimes, Morton said any criminal offense by a foreign national can make that individual a target for ICE. Several of those arrested, for instance, had legal permanent resident status but committed crimes that make them deportable.

"These are not the kind of people we want walking the streets of our Commonwealth," Morton said.

Of those arrested, 60 were in Fairfax County, 37 in Prince William County and 20 in Loudoun County. Smaller numbers were arrested in Arlington County, the city of Alexandria and the outlying counties of northern Virginia.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011 ... z1HRZyGf9j

Keep up the good work ICE!! Stay safe!

yeah!! dont release them back on to US Soil. deport them now

ICE Press Release here:

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1201552.html#1201552

now its up to 160 arrested
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-232196.html