ICE ERO Newark arrests 43 noncitizens with criminal convictions and previously removed from US

NEWARK — Deportation officers with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark field office, commonly referred to as ERO Newark, apprehended 43 noncitizens across New Jersey who were previously removed from the U.S., many of whom were charged with or convicted of various criminal offenses, during a local enforcement operation that took place between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5.

The charges and criminal convictions of those arrested included domestic violence, assault, drug possession, drug trafficking, attempted murder, driving under the influence and identity theft. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution for illegal reentry may be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office. These individuals are being held in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S. or removal proceedings with the immigration court.

ERO Newark worked with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Newark under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the direction of Port Director New York and New Jersey, TenaVel T. Thomas; and the U.S. Marshals Service, District of New Jersey, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.

Those arrested include:

• A previously removed 28-year-old citizen of El Salvador convicted of handgun possession in Mercer County Superior Court, with a previously removed MS-13 gang member discovered in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun during the arrest.
• A citizen of El Salvador in Ramsey, and a previously removed MS-13 gang member.
• A citizen and national of Brazil in Riverside who was wanted in Brazil to serve a five-year, five-month sentence for attempted murder.
• A citizen of El Salvador in Trenton who was convicted of driving under the influence four times and assault by auto two times.
• A citizen of Mexico in New Brunswick with pending charges of aggravated assault for strangulation and simple assault during a domestic violence incident.
• A previously removed citizen of El Salvador in Lakewood who was convicted of assault two times and malicious destruction of property once.
• A previously removed citizen of Honduras in Dover who was convicted of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and failure to give a controlled dangerous substance to a law enforcement officer.
• A citizen of Brazil in Long Branch who was wanted in Brazil to serve a 10-year sentence for drug trafficking and association for trafficking.
• A previously removed citizen of Guatemala in Hammonton who was convicted of driving under the influence and knowingly exhibiting false government identification.
• A previously removed citizen of Mexico in Bridgeton with a pending charge of driving under the influence.

ICE officers make enforcement decisions on a case-by-case basis in a professional and responsible manner, informed by their experience as law enforcement officials and in a way that best protects against the greatest threats to the homeland.

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, or EOIR. The 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 2021, ERO arrested 12,025 individuals with aggravated felony convictions. Offenses associated with noncitizens arrested in FY 2021 included 1,506 homicide related offenses, 3,415 sexual assaults, 19,549 assaults, 2,717 robberies and 1,063 kidnappings.

ICE’s ERO directorate upholds U.S. immigration law at, within and beyond our borders. ERO operations target public safety threats, such as convicted criminal noncitizens and gang members, as well as individuals who have otherwise violated our nation's immigration laws, including those who illegally reentered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges. ERO deportation officers assigned to Interpol also assist in targeting foreign fugitives and in fugitive arrest and removal cases of those wanted for crimes committed abroad and who are now at-large in the United States. ERO manages all aspects of the immigration enforcement process, including identification and arrest, detention, bond management, supervised release, transportation and removal. In addition, ERO repatriates noncitizens ordered removed from the U.S. to more than 170 countries around the world.

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 @ERONewark.