NEWARK, N.J. —Less than a week after New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced a statewide directive aimed at police officers in the state to cease working with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the agency announced the arrest of 105 illegal aliens in a statewide sweep.
ICE said this operation was pre-planned and not as a result of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Directive last week limiting local and state law enforcement cooperation with ICE.
The agency said it will step up local enforcement in New Jersey in the future if police departments follow the directive issued last week.
“ICE will of necessity have to conduct additional enforcement operations if local police departments and county jails do not refer criminals and gang members they encounter to ICE for review and possible arrest on immigration violations,” the agency said.
Four individuals in the country illegally who have Interpol warrants based on crimes they committed in their home countries were among 105 foreign nationals taken into custody during a five-day operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week in New Jersey. The operation, which was spearheaded by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), targeted at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and other immigration violators and was supported by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) New Jersey Field Office.
Of those arrested during the operation, 80 percent had prior criminal convictions and/or pending criminal charges.
These individuals will go through removal proceedings before an Immigration Judge or for those under a final order of removal, arrangements will be made to remove them from the U.S.
The individuals arrested throughout New Jersey were nationals of Brazil (6), Canada (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Cuba (2), Dominican Republic (10), Ecuador (4), Egypt (1), El Salvador (8), Guatemala (13), Honduras (7), Jamaica (4), Korea (2), Mexico (28), Peru (4), Philippines (1), Poland (1), Russia (1), Serbia (1), Slovakia (2), Spain (1), Taiwan (1), Trinidad (1), and Venezuela (4).
These individuals were arrested in the following counties in New Jersey: Atlantic (1), Bergen (4), Burlington (1), Camden (1), Essex (6), Gloucester (2), Hudson (24), Hunterdon (1), Mercer (12), Middlesex (10), Monmouth (14), Morris (3), Ocean (2), Passaic (11), Somerset (1), and Union (10). Also, two (2) individuals were arrested in New York. They range from age 18 to 65 years old and most were previously convicted of a variety of offenses. Some of the convictions included sexual assault on a minor, child abuse, possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics, extortion, DUI, fraud, domestic violence, theft, possession of a weapon, robbery, promoting prostitution, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, shoplifting and illegal reentry.
Among those arrested during this operation include:
- In Palisades Park, a 59-year-old Korean national, who has an Interpol warrant to serve his sentence for the crime of indecent acts by compulsion causing bodily injury;
- In Palisades Park, a 44-year-old Korean national, who has an Interpol warrant to serve his sentence for the crime of distribution of psychotropic drugs;
- In West New York, a 34-year-old Ecuadorian national, who has an Interpol warrant for the crime of fraud;
- In Paterson, a 54-year-old Russian national, who has an Interpol warrant for the crime of large scale fraud;
- In Union City, a 35-year-old Ecuadorian national, who has a conviction of forcible touching on a child;
- In Jersey City, a 35-year-old Venezuelan national, who has a conviction of distribution of narcotics;
- In Union City, a 52-year-old Mexican national, who has a conviction of promoting prostitution with a child.
- In New Brunswick, a 34-year-old Honduran national, who has a conviction of Endangering the Welfare of a Child;
- In Bayonne, a 43-year-old Canadian national, who has a conviction of distribution of narcotics on school grounds;
- In Jamesburg, a 25-year-old previously deported Guatemalan national, who was arrested for aggravated assault and possession of a weapon. An ICE detainer was lodged with Middlesex County Jail but they refused to honor the ICE detainer and released the subject;
- In Toms River, a 28-year-old Egyptian national, who has three convictions for possession and distribution of narcotics;
- In Jersey City, a 41-year-old Taiwanese national, who has convictions for extortion and bank fraud;
- In Atlantic City, a 38-year-old Cuban national, who has a conviction for aggravated criminal sexual contact;
- In New Brunswick, a 48-year-old Jamaican national, who has convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a weapon;
- In Freehold a 28-year-old El Salvadorian national, who is a member of MS-13;
- In New Brunswick, a 19-year-old Mexican national, who is a member of the 18th street gang;
- In Newark, a 31-year-old Mexican national, who is a member of the Surenos-13th street gang;
ICE deportation officers conduct targeted enforcement operations every day in locations around the country 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. During targeted enforcement operations, ICE officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws. Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and, when appropriate, arrested by ICE.