ICE arrests 98 in North Texas and Oklahoma areas during 10-day operation targeting criminal aliens and immigration fugitives

DALLAS — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 98 criminal aliens and immigration violators in North Texas and Oklahoma during a 10-day enforcement action, which ended Friday.

During this operation, ERO deportation officers made arrests in the following 38 Texas cities and towns: Amarillo (2), Arlington (2), Athens (1), Big Spring (1), Bridgeport (1), Canton (1), Carrollton (1), Dallas (11), Denton (3), Fort Worth (5), Frisco (3), Garland (1), Gilmer (4), Grapevine (1), Greenville (1), Haltom City (1), Haslett (1), Hawley (1), Irving (6), Jacksboro (2), Kaufman (1), Lewisville (2), Longview (2), Lubbock (9), McKinney (3), Mesquite (2), Palestine (2), Pampa (4), Perryton (2), Plainview (2), Plano (1), Sache (1), San Angelo (2), Sherman (2), Tyler (1), Wichita Falls (1) and White Oak (1). A total of 11 arrests were made in Oklahoma in Oklahoma City (3) and Tulsa (8). Of the 98 arrested, 67 had criminal convictions; 87 men and 11 women were arrested. They range in age from 19 to 62 years old.

Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following six countries:  Mexico (82), El Salvador (7), Honduras (6), Marshall Islands (1), Pakistan (1) and Peru (1).

Most of the aliens targeted by ERO deportation officers during this operation had prior criminal histories that included convictions for the following crimes: alien smuggling, assault, burglary, dangerous drugs, discharge of a firearm, domestic violence, driving under the influence, drug trafficking, fraud, illegal entry, hit & run, homicide, larceny, lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, marijuana possession, possessing a weapon, probation violation, resisting officer, sex assault, sex offense, sex offense against a child, traffic offense and trespassing. 

Five confirmed and documented gang members were also arrested during this operation.

Twenty nine of those arrested illegally re-entered the United States after having been previously deported, which is a felony. Depending on an alien’s criminality, an alien who re-enters the United States after having been previously deported commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted. Five of those arrested have been accepted for federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation.

The following are criminal summaries of four offenders arrested in North Texas and Oklahoma during this operation:

• Sept. 12 – ICE officers arrested a previously deported Mexican man who was convicted of illegal entry, and reckless injury to a child body injury. He also currently has two active warrants for aggravated sexual assault of a child.  ICE officers turned him over to the Kaufman County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office; ICE placed an immigration detainer on him.
• Sept. 14 – ICE arrested a Salvadoran citizen, who has an outstanding Interpol warrant out of El Salvador for extortion. He is also a confirmed and documented MS-13 gang member. He remains in ICE custody pending his removal.
• Sept. 19 – ICE officers arrested a 28-year-old man from El Salvador who has an active Interpol warrant naming him as the leader of an MS-13 clique. He has warrants in El Salvador for acts of terrorism related to homicide, extortion and drug crimes. He remains in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings.
• Sept. 20 – ICE officers arrested a previously deported man from Mexico who is a confirmed and documented gang member.  He remains in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings. 

The Dallas area of responsibility includes 128 counties in North Texas and Oklahoma.

All of the targets in this operation are amenable to arrest and removal under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.

ICE deportation officers carry out targeted enforcement operations daily nationwide as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety, and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls.

These operations involve existing and established Fugitive Operations Teams.

During targeted enforcement operations, ICE officers frequently encounter other aliens illegally present in the United States. These aliens are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and, when appropriate, they are arrested by ICE officers.