ICE sting targeted those with arrests or convictions for assault, domestic violence, other crimes involving victims. Photo: ICE
DENVER — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday the results of recent enforcement actions targeting people living in the country illegally who have been arrested for or have pending charges or convictions, for crimes involving victims in Colorado and Wyoming.
“During this effort we focused specifically on those who may have suffered disproportionally during the pandemic,” said John Fabbricatore, field office director, Denver. “We specifically targeted our enforcement actions at abusers and helped victims by eliminating the threat posed by their perpetrators, and in some cases, preventing future victimization by recidivist offenders.”
During the enforcement action, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers arrested 63 at-large individuals living illegally in the U.S., or who are removable from the U.S. due to their criminal histories. About 85 percent of those arrested by ICE on immigration charges also had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
Examples of recent arrests under the new initiative include:
ICE says it continues to target criminal aliens and other public safety and national security threats every day. The agency does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All those in violation of immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States. ICE says it takes many factors into account when targeting and arresting individuals, including their criminal and immigration history.
“Behind each one of these arrests is a child who has suffered abuse or a battered spouse or a person who nearly died,” Fabbricatore added. “Let’s not lose sight of the fact that there are some abusive people living in our communities who should not be here. By focusing our efforts on these abusers, we’re doing our part to help families during this pandemic.”
Victims of crime committed by individuals with a nexus to immigration are encouraged to contact ICE’s VOICE office if they need assistance. The VOICE office affords victims and their loved ones a single point of contact to obtain information regarding criminal aliens in ICE custody, including the ability to get automated custody status information, releasable case history about the perpetrator, or having an ICE representative explain the immigration enforcement and removal process. The toll-free VOICE Hotline number is 1-855-48-VOICE.
ICE exercises all appropriate prosecutorial discretion when encountering the family members of arrest targets and evaluates each individual situation to determine the appropriate course of action. In according with ICE Directive 10076.1 Prosecutorial Discretion: Certain Victims, Witnesses, and Plaintiffs, ICE should exercise all appropriate prosecutorial discretion to minimize any effect that immigration enforcement may have on the willingness and ability of victims, witnesses, and plaintiffs to call police and pursue justice.
In FY 2019, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested individuals with more than 1,900 convictions and charges for homicide, 1,800 for kidnapping, 12,000 sex offenses, 5,000 sexual assaults, 45,000 assaults, 67,000 crimes involving drugs, 10,000 weapons offenses, and 74,000 DUIs.
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