Illegal Border Crossings Today:

ICE Targets Sanctuary Jurisdictions in Nationwide Crackdown

ICE Officer

Legislative Update By: RJ Hauman

As part of a four-day operation that ended last Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers arrested 498 individuals from 42 countries for federal immigration violations in cities across the country. (ICE News Release, Sept. 28, 2017) Operation Safe City focused on notable sanctuary jurisdictions where ICE deportation officers are denied access to jails and detainers are not honored, in violation of federal immigration law. (Id.) “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. (Id.) “As a result, ICE is forced to dedicate more resources to conduct at-large arrests in these communities.” (Id.) The operation specifically targeted individuals who have violated U.S. immigration laws, prioritizing aliens with criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, known gang members, immigration fugitives, and illegal reentrants. (Id.)

Operation Safe City arrests took place 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). (Id.) Among those arrested in the aforementioned sanctuary jurisdictions were:

  • In Baltimore, a citizen of El Salvador who entered the U.S. illegally on a fraudulent passport, and was previously charged with attempted murder/conspiracy to commit murder and convicted of first degree assault. She was previously released from local custody before ICE could assume custody. (Id.)
  • In San Jose, a citizen of Mexico who entered the U.S. on a visa and overstayed that visa for more than 10 years. He was previously convicted of felony possession and purchase of narcotics, possession of a controlled substance for sale, and felony child cruelty with the possibility of injury or death. He was previously released from local custody before ICE could assume custody. (Id.)
  • In New York, a citizen of Ecuador with lawful permanent resident status who was previously charged with sexual abuse of a minor and convicted of endangering the welfare of a child, and convicted of sexual abuse of a minor under 14. He was previously released from local custody before ICE could assume custody. (Id.)
  • In San Francisco, a citizen of El Salvador who entered the country illegally and who has previous convictions for sex with a minor under 16. He was previously released from local custody before ICE could assume custody. (Id.)