ERO Newark arrests 18 criminal noncitizens during nationwide enforcement action
Offenses include felony assault with auto, drug distribution, sex abuse and multiple DUIs
NEWARK — On Sept. 8, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark announced the local results of a nationwide enforcement operation conducted between Aug. 4 and Aug. 25 during which officers apprehended 18 removable noncitizens determined to be a threat to national security, public safety or border security.
This targeted enforcement operation was implemented to address unlawfully present noncitizens with felonies or misdemeanors for domestic violence, sexual abuse or exploitation, unlawful possession or use of a firearm, drug distribution or trafficking, or driving under the influence, and noncitizens with an executable final order of removal who have unlawfully reentered the United States after having been previously removed.
“Our efforts are consistently focused on noncitizens who pose a threat to community safety,” said ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris. “Our officers are to be commended for their courageous efforts in removing these individuals from our communities, many of whom are repeat offenders and several of whom have illegally reentered the U.S. after having been removed.”
Officers prioritized enforcement actions in accordance with the Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law issued by Secretary Mayorkas on Sept. 30, 2021, and reinstituted on June 28, 2023. These individuals were detained in ICE custody pending removal proceedings or removal from the U.S.
Those arrested include:
- A 58-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic who served 10 years in prison for cocaine distribution.
- A 27-year-old Mexican citizen previously removed from the United States and convicted prior to that of felony endangering-sexual conduct with a child by non-caretaker, for which he was sentenced to four years of confinement that were partially suspended.
- A 56-year-old Guatemalan citizen with three prior convictions for driving under the influence and who in the past served 60 days imprisonment for one of these offenses.
- A 60-year-old Guatemalan citizen previously convicted of felony aggravated assault with a weapon, for which he was sentenced to two years of probation.
- A 60-year-old Albanian citizen convicted of felony assault by auto and felony knowingly leaving the scene of an accident, for which he was sentenced to 364 days in jail and three years of probation.
ERO officers carefully evaluated individuals on a case-by-case basis, assessing the totality of the facts and circumstances to make informed arrest determinations. Those cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office. ERO will also appropriately coordinate with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to evaluate completion of relevant noncitizen applications.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the 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. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.
In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.
As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, 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 removal 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.
Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.
Learn more about ERO Newark’s mission to preserve public safety on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ERONewark.
Updated: