Nevada ICE operation nets 102 arrests over 6-day period

LAS VEGAS – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers arrested 102 individuals throughout Nevada during a 6-day targeted enforcement operation that ended Sept. 27, targeting criminal aliens and other immigration violators.

The majority of the aliens targeted by ERO deportation officers during this operation, which included the entire state of Nevada, had prior criminal convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as assault, battery, domestic violence, DUI, weapons charges and drug violations, among others.

The United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force assisted ERO deportation officers in the targeted enforcement operation.

Among those arrested during the operation are:

• A 39-year-old illegally present male citizen of Mexico was arrested in Las Vegas, Sept. 25. He has previous convictions for possession of controlled substance with intent to sell and sale of controlled substance. He also faces federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation.
• A 41-year-old illegally present female citizen of Mexico was arrested in Las Vegas, Sept. 24. She has a previous felony conviction for transport/sell of a controlled substance and a conviction for driving under the influence. She was previously removed to Mexico on one occasion and will remain in ICE custody pending her removal from the United States.
• A 58-year-old illegally present male citizen of China was arrested in Las Vegas, Sept. 24. He has an active INTERPOL want for embezzlement related charges in China. He was placed in removal proceedings and is pending a court date with the Immigration Judge.
• A 44-year-old illegally present male citizen of Mexico was arrested in Sparks, Sept. 24. He has previous convictions and arrests for transport/sell of a controlled substance; illegal entry; driving under the influence; and possession of controlled substance. He will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.

The vast majority of arrestees (96 males and 6 females) included nationals from 8 countries including Bahamas, China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines and the United Kingdom. Of the five Nevada counties where arrests occurred, Clark County accounted for the largest number of apprehensions (67), followed by Washoe County (24); Elko County (7); Humboldt County (2); and Carson City County (2).

The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States.

One of the individuals arrested during the enforcement action has been accepted for federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Individuals who have outstanding orders of removal, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.

ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. However, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that arrest aliens indiscriminately.

Editor’s Note: The arrest statistics provided in this news release represent preliminary data that has been manually reported by an ICE Field Office and may vary from official agency metrics contained in ICE’s system of record. Because ICE’s official metrics are reported by Area of Responsibility (AOR), they may differ in content and level of detail from data that has been manually reported by a Field Office.