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May 2, 2023Seattle, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

ERO Seattle removes Somali citizen convicted of supporting terrorism

Omer Abdi Mohamed, 38, a citizen of Somalia

SEATTLE — Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Seattle removed Omer Abdi Mohamed, 38, a citizen of Somalia convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, to his home country April 28.

A grand jury indicted Mohamed for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; providing material support to terrorists; and conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim and injure Nov. 19, 2009. He was convicted of that charge and sentenced to 12 years in prison and 20 years of supervision by the U.S. District Court-District of Minnesota May 29, 2013.

“The immigration court’s judgement for Mohamed’s removal shows those who seek to support terrorism in any form will not find safe haven or privilege in the U.S.,” said ERO Seattle Field Office Director Drew H. Bostock. “ERO officers continue to keep our communities safe by using the best information available to find, and remove, public safety threats from our community.”

ERO officers encountered Mohamed while he was in the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ custody at the Greenville Federal Correctional Institution in Illinois Aug. 1, 2018, and placed an immigration detainer the same day. Mohamed was released from the Bureau of Prisons’ custody at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, Washington, and taken into ERO custody Feb. 21. He was ordered removed to Somalia by an immigration judge with the Department of Justice’s Executive Office of Immigration Review March 8. Mohamed was repatriated to Somalia April 28 without incident.

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 crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form. Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on Twitter @EROSeattle. The Seattle area of responsibility covers Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

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