ICE initiative yields human rights violation arrests

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said recent implementation of the agency’s National Fugitive Operations Program resulted in the arrest of 39 fugitives suspected of human rights violations.

The effort, which was executed Aug. 27-29, involved the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor working with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal (ERO) Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, Newark, Salt Lake City and San Francisco field offices to arrest the fugitives.

“ICE will not allow war criminals and human rights abusers to use the U.S. as a safe haven,” Matthew Albence, acting director, said. “We will never stop looking for them and we will never cease seeking justice for the victims of their crimes.”

Officials said 30 males and nine females were arrested, adding foreign nationals all have outstanding removal orders and are subject to repatriation to their countries of origin and of the 39 known or suspected human rights violators arrested during Operation No Safe Haven V, 16 are also criminal aliens here with convictions for crimes including, but not limited to, domestic violence, driving under the influence of liquor, drug distribution, firearm possession, grand theft, reckless endangerment, robbery, fraud and theft.

ICE officials said the agency is committed to identifying, investigating, prosecuting and removing known or suspected human rights violators who seek a safe haven in the United States. ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) investigates human rights violators who try to evade justice by seeking shelter in the United States, including those known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, severe violations of religious freedom, female genital mutilation / cutting and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.