Around New Jersey100 held as gang members statewide Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Last updated: Tuesday June 24, 2008, EDT 5:49 AM BY ELIZABETH LLORENTESTAFF WRITER

Federal agents and local police arrested nearly 100 alleged gang members and associates around New Jersey last week, immigration officials announced Monday.

Five of those arrested are residents of Passaic, officials said. The rest are from Hudson, Union and Middlesex counties, they said.

The suspected gang members and associates are natives of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, officials said, adding that 30 are here illegally.

The arrests between June 15 and 21 were part of Operation Community Shield, launched in 2005 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target street gangs.

"ICE has unique immigration and customs law enforcement authorities which complement the authorities of our federal, state and local partners," said Kyle Hutchins, an ICE official in Newark. "ICE removes dangerous gang members and their associates from our streets, making our communities a safer place to work and live."

Identification was released on one of the five people from Passaic: Alberto Vargas, 28. ICE officials allege that Vargas is a member of the Mexican Mafia gang.

Details about the arrests and the identities of the other Passaic suspects were unavailable.

An ICE announcement said Vargas was "arrested on federal charges of being an aggravated felon who re-entered the United States after being deported."

More than 8,000 members of more than 700 gangs have been arrested since Operation Community Shield began, ICE said.
Federal agents and local police arrested nearly 100 alleged gang members and associates around New Jersey last week, immigration officials announced Monday.

Five of those arrested are residents of Passaic, officials said. The rest are from Hudson, Union and Middlesex counties, they said.

The suspected gang members and associates are natives of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, officials said, adding that 30 are here illegally.

The arrests between June 15 and 21 were part of Operation Community Shield, launched in 2005 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target street gangs.

"ICE has unique immigration and customs law enforcement authorities which complement the authorities of our federal, state and local partners," said Kyle Hutchins, an ICE official in Newark. "ICE removes dangerous gang members and their associates from our streets, making our communities a safer place to work and live."

Identification was released on one of the five people from Passaic: Alberto Vargas, 28. ICE officials allege that Vargas is a member of the Mexican Mafia gang.

Details about the arrests and the identities of the other Passaic suspects were unavailable.

An ICE announcement said Vargas was "arrested on federal charges of being an aggravated felon who re-entered the United States after being deported."

More than 8,000 members of more than 700 gangs have been arrested since Operation Community Shield began, ICE said.






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