News Releases and Statements

ICE special agents executed a federal criminal search warrant yesterday at Howard Industries, Inc., an electric transformer manufacturing facility, for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, as well as a civil search warrant for individuals illegally in the United States.

During the operation, which concluded Friday, ICE fugitive operations teams arrested 44 fugitives and five immigration violators. Five of those arrested had criminal histories that spanned from lewd acts on child under 16, driving under the influence, drug possession, weapons charges and prostitution Thirty-one individuals arrested remain in ICE custody and 18 were released on ICE supervision for humanitarian reasons concerning child care issues.

Jesus Ruben Moncada, 33, was taken into custody on administrative immigration violations at his Los Angeles residence by members of ICE's Joint Criminal Alien Removal Task Force (JCART) and officers on the U.S. Marshals Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Fred Jerome Serbin, a French national, was removed without incident and turned over to French National Police Officers who were waiting for him at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, France.

ICE immigration enforcement agents escorted Luis Miguel Quintana-Aguilera, 23, to the middle of Stanton Street Bridge at the El Paso Port of Entry where he was turned over to Mexican authorities. Quintana-Aguilera was sought by authorities in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico, for the November 2007 murder of Rigoberto Romero Enriquez.

Of the 75 fugitives arrested, 26 had criminal records. During the operation an additional 44 immigration violators were arrested, 12 of whom had criminal histories.

Sergio Lopez-Martinez, a Spanish national, was removed without incident and turned over to Spanish INTERPOL agents who were waiting for him at the Madrid Barajas Airport in Spain.

Victor Manuel Perez-Monroy, 51, was sentenced August 5 to 70 months in prison. Perez-Monroy was arrested on local charges in September 2007 by the Phoenix Police Department.

The multi-agency operation, which began June 18, 2008 and ended July 25, targeted criminal street gang members and associates in the South Florida area. Of those arrested, Task Force Members identified members or associates of the following gangs: MS-13, SUR-13, Uptown, Victory Park, Top Six, Bloods, 18th Street, 21 Jump, INP, FAME, Washington Park, 170 Boys, 90's Babies, Hollywood Squares, Leisure City and One Way.

During the five-day operation, which concluded Friday, ICE detention and removal officers and Lee and Collier County Sheriff's officers arrested 55 fugitives and seven immigration violators. Fifteen of those arrested had criminal histories that spanned from aggravated assault, battery, DUI, DUI hit and run, resisting officer without violence, burglary, weapons offenses, cocaine possession and larceny.

Forty-seven of those arrested are members or associates of the following gangs: Brown Pride, Imperial Gangsters, Insane Deuces, Latin Kings, Norteños-14, Sureños-13, and the 18th Street Gang. Two of those arrested had no known gang affiliations but are deportable because they are in the U.S. illegally.

One current and one former top executive for a franchisee that owns 11 McDonald's restaurants in and around Reno, Nev., and the corporation itself pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Vegas today to federal felony immigration offenses for encouraging illegal aliens to reside in the United States.

In the first nine months of fiscal year 2008 (Oct. 2007 through June 2008), ICE returned 7,345 illegal aliens to their home countries who had been living in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. During that same period last fiscal year, ICE removed 5,256. This year's statistics reflect a 39 percent overall increase in the volume of deportations from the three-state area.

Convicted felons, fugitives, and immigration violators living in various cities throughout Florida were among the 5,889 individuals deported by ICE officers during a six-month period. From Jan. 2007 through June 2007, ICE deported 3,942 illegal aliens. This year from Jan. 2008 through June 2008, ICE deported 5,889 illegal aliens.

The fugitive operations team based in Kansas City, Mo., made 33 arrests in Garden City and 15 arrests in Dodge City, Kan. Those arrested are from the following countries: El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Vietnam.

During the five-day operation, which ended June 24, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested illegal aliens in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine counties. Sixteen of those arrested were fugitives; 22 were immigration violators encountered by ICE officers during their targeted arrests.

During the five-day operation, which ended June 24, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested illegal aliens in Lexington (25 arrests), Grand Island (12 arrests) Broken Bow (2 arrests), and one arrest in each of the following cities: Cozad, Gibbon, Hastings, Kearney and North Platte.

During the five-day operation, which ended June 24, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested illegal aliens in Chicago, Highland Park, Waukegan, Highwood, and other cities in the metropolitan area. Twenty-five of those arrested were fugitives; 18 were immigration violators encountered by ICE officers during their targeted arrests. Of the 43 apprehended, 20 have previous criminal convictions in addition to their administrative immigration violations.

The success of the operation dubbed "Community Shield" was the result of an extensive collaborative effort between ICE Gang Investigation Unit special agents and multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the state including the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, West New York Police Department, Newark Police Department, New Brunswick Police Department, Passaic Police Department, Union City Police Department, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

This two-day operation yielded the arrests of 16 U.S. permanent residents whose criminal convictions may render them eligible for deportation, 5 who were illegally residing in the U.S. and 1 who is currently wanted on a warrant of deportation.

From October 2007 through May 2008, investigations by ICE's Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) led to the prosecution of 3,831 illegal aliens for felony re-entry after deportation, compared to 1,808 such prosecutions in all of fiscal year 2007.

Each of the 67 individuals arrested were targeted for their membership, participation or association with violent street gangs. Members or associates of 22 street gangs were arrested during this operation, including: 83 Mob, Brown Pride 13, Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos, Tango Blast Houstone, La Primera, La Quarenta, La Tercera Crips, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Mara Salvatrucha (aka MS-13), NICA'S, North Side Crips, PVL (Puros Vatos Locos), Raza Unida, Ruthless Kings, Sacky Crew, Southside Bloods, Southwest Cholos, Sureno 13, Texas Syndicate, VNS (Barrio North Side) and Westside G.

The flight, contracted by the Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) Flight Operations Unit, carried a total of 83 individuals ordered removed from the United States by immigration courts. Those removed had been held at various detention facilities around the country, and were staged at the Batavia, N.Y., Federal Detention Facility shortly before the flight, which departed from Niagara Falls International Airport.

Of the 1,808 individuals arrested in California, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and Texas, 1,069 were immigration fugitives. An immigration fugitive is someone who has ignored a final order of deportation or who has returned to the United States illegally after being removed. More than 70 percent of the aliens taken into custody are immigration fugitives or have criminal histories.