Thread: Waukegan: ICE deportation crackdown targets gang members

I was so glad to read this article this morning. A recent Chicago report said that Waukegan has several thousand gang members. I have seen M13 and 13 sprayed on walls. Let's hope others leave. I want ICE to stay in down!!!


ICE deportation crackdown targets gang members

August 29, 2007
BY NICHOLAS ALAJAKIS nalajakis@scn1.com
Local police officials said Tuesday an immigration crackdown in Lake County is focusing on gang members.

The crackdown, which is being called "Operation Gangs Away," is focused on the deportation of Hispanic gang members in Lake County, said Waukegan Police Chief William Biang.

The News-Sun learned earlier this week that U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement officials were in the area apprehending residents. When questioned on the concentrated effort, ICE spokesperson Gail Montenegro confirmed ICE agents were working on a crackdown in Chicagoland, but said she couldn't get into details.

Biang said ICE is targeting 96 people in Lake County. Many of the targets are gang members, who have been identified through local police departments or by ICE as being "dangerous," Biang said.

ICE officials were in Round Lake Beach on Monday, said Deputy Chief Rich Chiarello. While in the village they removed three suspected gang members from their homes. Chiarello said he does not know what they are being charged with, or if they are being deported.

"We just assisted (ICE) with anything they needed," Chiarello said.

Biang also said his department was only assisting ICE agents with their investigation.

"(The targets) pose a threat or a danger to public safety," Biang said. "We want to remove these criminals from our community."

Montenegro said her office expects to complete all investigations later this week. At that time more information will be available, she added.

This is not the first time ICE has worked with Waukegan police. In 2003, the two groups worked together in a sweep called "Operation Stolen Virtue," a two-day effort in which 21 immigrants with deportable criminal records were apprehended

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article

They targeted gangs in back in 1996 as people were outraged with illegals. History has repeated itself except this time we have more gang members and they are not being deported as quickly as they were in 1996.