News ReleasesAugust 30, 2007

195 illegal aliens arrested by ICE in Florida during two-week operation


MIAMI - One hundred ninety-five illegal aliens were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers assigned to the Florida Field Office of Detention and Removal following the culmination of a two-week operation which ended Friday. Last week alone there were 68 criminal aliens arrested in the Tampa, Miami and Orlando area. ICE deportation officers teamed up with ICE special agents assigned to the Tampa and Miami SAC Offices to execute the arrests.

Of those arrested, 115 were fugitive aliens who had due process under law and were ordered deported by an immigration judge. The fugitives chose to not comply with their lawful orders and remained in the country illegally.

Among the criminal aliens arrested was Carlyle Thompson, a 32-year-old Bahamian national who resided in South Florida. Thompson, who entered the country as a visitor for pleasure and remained in the country past his period of admission, was convicted of child abuse with injury in Jan. 2006.

Also arrested was 31-year-old Elvin Matos-Pelletier, a Dominican national convicted on March 28, 2007 of lewd and lascivious battery and lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor. Matos-Pelletier resided in the Orlando area.

Both Thompson and Matos-Pelletier have been charged with being in violation of immigration laws. They will remain in ICE custody awaiting the outcome of their case. The fugitives arrested during the operation face imminent deportation.

"Our officers and agents are working tirelessly every day to uphold the laws of our great nation," said Michael Rozos, field office director for the Office of Detention and Removal in Florida. "Those who think that they can circumvent the law are mistaken."

These arrests are part of an ongoing ICE effort to identify, arrest and remove those who pose a threat to our communities and who have no legal right to remain in the country.


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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases ... 0miami.htm