U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, working with law enforcement partners, apprehended 189 illegal aliens and served notices of inspection to 187 local businesses during an enhanced targeted immigration enforcement operation focusing on criminal alien offenders operating in and around Washington, D.C., from May 6 to 9.
During the four-day enhanced operation, ICE’s ERO and Homeland Security Investigations directorates and their law enforcement partners from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Virginia Department of Corrections, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service targeted criminal alien offenders including members of transnational criminal organizations known to operate in and around Washington, D.C.
These organisations include the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua and 18th Street gangs.
“The success of this enhanced operation highlights the resolve of ICE and our federal partners in keeping our country safe from criminal alien offenders,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “Many of the aliens arrested have egregious criminal histories to include violent crimes against residents of our Washington, D.C. communities. I am exceptionally grateful for the professionalism and dedication of our ICE HSI Washington, D.C. special agents as well as the unwavering support from our law enforcement partners during this operation to remove dangerous alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. communities.”
Aside from targeting criminal alien offenders at large, ICE also served 187 notices of inspection to Washington, D.C. businesses to ensure they are complying with U.S. immigration and employment laws.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and this administration’s focus on law and order, these arrests represent a major step forward in making Washington, D.C., safer for legal citizens and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. “These arrests make clear that violating our nation’s immigration laws will not be ignored.”
ICE and its law enforcement partners made many of the apprehensions after local jurisdictions refused to honour immigration detainers and released the alien offenders back into their communities.
“The Diplomatic Security Service is a key partner in the United States’ work to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavour to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Diplomatic Security Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Richeson. “DSS proudly coordinates with our U.S. and international law enforcement partners to investigate transnational crimes and apprehend fugitives who violate U.S. law.”
