Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 86 criminal aliens and immigration fugitives in North Texas and Oklahoma during a three-day enforcement action that occurred last week.
The operation targeted mostly aliens with prior criminal histories that included convictions for sexually exploiting a minor, assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession, burglary, obstructing police, larceny, manufacturing methamphetamine, firearms offense, smuggling, receiving stolen property, illegally entering the United States, and driving under the influence.
“This operation focused on targeting immigration fugitives and criminal aliens in North Texas and the state of Oklahoma, but we routinely conduct operations daily,” Bret Bradford, field office director of ERO Dallas, said. “By removing criminal aliens from the streets, our ICE officers provide a valuable community service by improving public safety.”
All of the targets of the operation were amenable to arrest and removal under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.
Of those arrested, 21 individuals illegally re-entered the United States after being previously deported, which is a felony that is potentially punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted and dependant on the individual’s criminality.
Additionally, 55 of the aliens arrested had previous criminal convictions. Eighty-two were men and four were women and they ranged in age from 19 to 61 years old.