ERO Miami ATD program nabs 18 for various crimes
Officers with U.S. Immigrations Customs and Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami Stuart Sub-Office, in collaboration with U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the West Palm Beach Station, apprehended 18 criminal noncitizens last week during a targeted enforcement operation for individuals who pose a threat to public safety. Of those arrested by ERO during the enforcement action, which spanned several counties in Southeast Florida from July 8-11, were from Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, China, Jamaica and Colombia.
MIAMI, Florida – Officers with U.S. Immigrations Customs and Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami Stuart Sub-Office, in collaboration with U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the West Palm Beach Station, apprehended 18 criminal noncitizens last week during a targeted enforcement operation for individuals who pose a threat to public safety.
The ERO Alternatives to Detention program is a flight-mitigation tool that leverages technology to improve compliance with release conditions, court hearings, and final orders of removal, while allowing noncitizens to remain in their communities as they progress through the immigration process. Operation Drumbeat targeted those noncitizens that were afforded the opportunity to partake in ATD but violated the conditions of the program by committing criminal offenses or were deemed a threat to public safety based on their criminal convictions. Of those arrested by ERO during the enforcement action, which spanned several counties in Southeast Florida from July 8-11, were from Guatemala (9), Mexico (3), Honduras (3), China (1), Jamaica (1), and Colombia (1).
“ERO is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that protects citizens throughout Florida by arresting and removing those who undermine our immigration laws and pose a safety threat to our communities,” said ERO Miami Field Office Director Garrett Ripa. “The ATD program is a privilege, and when noncitizens violate the conditions of their release by breaking other laws, there are consequences.”
Criminal histories amongst those arrested include racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, weapons charges, driving under the influence, cocaine possession, domestic violence, child abuse, hit and run, burglary, criminal mischief, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and resisting an officer.
All noncitizens arrested are currently in ICE custody. Some examples of arrests from the action include:
- A 34-year-old Honduran man was convicted for resisting an officer, trespassing, criminal mischief, assault, and burglary. The subject is currently pending a removal hearing by an immigration judge.
- A 46-year-old Chinese national was convicted for conspiracy, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) violations, battery, weapons offense, drug possession and extortion. The subject is currently pending removal from the United States.
- A 55-year-old Jamaican male was convicted for possession of cocaine and narcotic equipment. The subject is currently pending a removal hearing by an immigration judge.
- A 41-year-old Guatemalan male was arrested for assault and battery and driving while intoxicated. The subject is currently pending a removal hearing by an immigration judge.
- A 31-year-old Guatemalan male was arrested for battery and child abuse. The subject is currently pending removal from the United States.
- A 30-year-old Honduran male was arrested for battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The subject is currently pending a removal hearing by an immigration judge.
ICE officers carefully evaluated individual cases, assessing the totality of the facts and circumstances to make informed arrest determinations. Those cases amenable to federal prosecution will be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ERO officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.
In fiscal year 2023, ERO arrested 73,822 noncitizens with criminal histories; this group had 290,178 associated charges and convictions with an average of four per individual. These included 33,209 assaults; 4,390 sex and sexual assaults; 7,520 weapons offenses; 1,713 charges or convictions for homicide; and 1,655 kidnapping offenses.
Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE tip line at 866-347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form. Callers may remain anonymous.
As one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) three operational directorates, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and re1oval of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.
For more news and information on how the ERO Miami field office carries out its immigration enforcement mission, follow us on Twitter @EROMiami.
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