ICE targets Sanctuary Cities and makes nearly 500 immigrant arrests

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a total of 498 people from 42 countries for federal immigration violations.  Those arrests took place in multiple cities and jurisdictions across the U.S. during a four-day operation that ended on September 27. “Operation Safe City” targeted the so-called sanctuary cities – those cities and regions where ICE deportation officers have been denied access to jails and prisons in order to interview suspected immigration violators.  ICE worked in conjunction with Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Fugitive Operations teams to make almost 500 arrests during that sweep of sanctuary cities.

The arrests are broken down with arrests in Baltimore (28), Cook County, Illinois (30), Denver (63), Los Angeles (101), New York (45), Philadelphia (107), Seattle (33), Santa Clara County, California (27), Washington, D.C. (14) and the state of Massachusetts (50).

“Sanctuary jurisdictions that do not honor detainers or allow us access to jails and prisons are shielding criminal aliens from immigration enforcement and creating a magnet for illegal immigration,” said ICE Acting Director Tom Homan. “As a result, ICE is forced to dedicate more resources to conduct at-large arrests in these communities.”

“ICE’s goal is to build cooperative, respectful relationships with our law enforcement partners to help prevent dangerous criminal aliens from being released back onto the streets. Non-cooperation policies severely undermine that effort at the expense of public safety,” he said.

Of the 498 individuals taken into custody during this operation for immigration violations:

• 317 had criminal convictions, as noted in the table below;
• 68 are immigration fugitives;
• 104 are previously deported criminal aliens; and
• 18 are gang members or affiliates.

Some of those arrested during Operation Safe City will face federal criminal prosecutions for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after removal. The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States. Those who have outstanding orders of removal, or who returned to the United States illegally after being removed, are subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge, or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh wants her city to be viewed as a safe place where immigrants are welcomed and made aware of their rights, although she stops short of characterizing Baltimore as a sanctuary city.  Following the recent ICE arrests, WBAL quoted Pugh as saying: