HUDSON VALLEY, NY — During a six-day sweep in New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley that ended Saturday, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations arrested 225 people.

Of those arrested, for violating U.S. immigration laws, more than 180 were convicted criminals or had criminal charges pending, more than 80 had been issued a final order of removal and failed to depart the United States, or had been previously removed from the United States and returned illegally, ICE officials said. Criminal histories of those arrested during the operation included aggravated DWI, Assault 2nd, criminal trespass 2nd, driving while ability impaired, and driving while intoxicated. Several had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges, and assault, or had past convictions for significant or multiple misdemeanors.

ERO deportation officers made arrests in Westchester County, Orange County, Dutchess County, Rockland County, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Suffolk County, and Nassau County. "ICE continues to face significant obstacles with policies created by local officials which hinder cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement. Yet, with the tireless efforts of the men and women of ICE, this operation was a great success," Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York said in the announcement. "The fact is that a so-called "sanctuary city" does not only provide refuge to those who are here against immigration law, but also provides protections for criminal aliens who prey on the people in their own communities by committing crimes at all levels. ICE is committed to enforcing the immigration laws set forth by Congress with integrity, despite the push-back and rhetoric within the city they serve."



The arrestees include nationals from Albania, Antigua, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kosovo, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tajikistan, Trinidad, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. Some of them will face federal criminal prosecutions for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after deportation, ICE officials said. The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States. Those who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the U.S. 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.



The ICE announcement also included an explanation of the agency's current focus and its concern with "sanctuary city" type policies: