U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers have apprehended 171 unlawfully present noncitizens with pending charges or convictions for murder, homicide, or assault against children, according to officials. In a major enforcement action, ICE’s ERO arrested over 100 illegal immigrants wanted for crimes, including child sexual assault and murder, across 25 U.S. cities. The operation took place over a little more than a week between January 16-28, 2024.
Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner stated at a news conference, “Over the course of 11 days, our dedicated and committed law enforcement officers zeroed-in on removable, at-large non-citizens who are wanted for or who have already been convicted of horrible, almost unspeakable crimes like assault against children, including sexual assault and murder.”
The arrests made during this nationwide enforcement effort include individuals wanted for or convicted of child molestation, child pornography, rape, and murder. Some of the arrested individuals had been previously deported before their arrest.
In fiscal year 2023, ERO arrested a total of 73,822 non-citizens with criminal histories, with charges and convictions totaling 290,178. These charges included assaults, sex and sexual assaults, weapons offenses, homicide, and kidnapping offenses.
The increase in nationwide encounters reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) highlights the record numbers of non-citizens illegally present in the United States. CBP reported over 3.2 million encounters for fiscal year 2023, a 15% increase compared to the previous fiscal year.
ICE’s enforcement actions aim to protect U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. The agency is committed to enforcing the nation’s immigration laws humanely, effectively, and with the highest standards of professionalism.
The successful results of this operation serve as a testament to ERO’s dedication to safeguarding the homeland and ensuring the safety of U.S. communities.
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