Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

In a sweeping, multi-city operation, the federal immigration authorities arrested over 140 people who were in the state of Texas illegally. Of the 140, most were violent felons, sex offenders, and cartel drug traffickers.

Over 40 were arrested in Austin alone in the federal immigration operation targeting illegal immigrants with criminal histories in South and Central Texas. Ironically, crossing the border illegally is a felony and therefore EVERY illegal immigrant should have been included in this sweep.

Another 100 people were arrested in San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and Waco over a seven-day period that ended February 16. ICE says most of the people targeted had been convicted for crimes including indecency with a child, assault, drug trafficking, human trafficking, entering the U.S. illegally, driving under the influence, drug possession, and more.

ICE said in a public statement, "Of the 145 arrested, 86 had criminal convictions; 39 were arrested based on previous immigration encounters, four of which have pending criminal charges; 20 had no prior immigration history or encounters, one has pending criminal charges. Of the total arrests, 135 were men and 10 were women. They range in age from 18 to 62 years old."

Total count and breakdown of arrests:

Austin: 45

San Antonio: 41

Rio Grande Valley: 37

Laredo: 15

Waco: 7

Daniel Bible, field office director for Enforcement and Removal Operations in San Antonio said, "The results of this operation are a clear indication of ICE’s commitment regarding the role we play in keeping our communities safe by locating, arresting and ultimately removing at-large criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety, and other immigration fugitives."

Bible went on to say, "ICE’s leadership has made clear that ICE will no longer 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. By affecting these immigration enforcement operations, the dedicated men and women of ICE help keep our communities safe."

ICE also confirmed around 128 of those arrested were from Mexico, seven were from Guatemala, seven were from Honduras and one each from El Salvador, Peru, and Jordan. The Mexican consulate issued a statement Tuesday saying, "Of the seven nationals interviewed, one person came from a county jail after his custody was transferred to the immigration authorities, while six were detained by immigration enforcement authorities as part of targeted operations."

Mexican consulate continued, "Of the six persons detained as part of specific operations, only one of them had an arrest warrant while the rest were "collateral arrests" (people who were in the place and time of the arrest and who did not have legal immigration status were also stopped by immigration authorities)."

<i>On Twitter:</i>

<a href="https://twitter.com/ErvinProduction">@ErvinProduction</a>

Tips? Info? Send me a message!

Source: http://www.statesman.com/news/breaking-news/breaking-more-than-140-arrested-during-texas-immigration-enforcement-operation-mid-february/OVArcBv8UKr3rZne60ZqOI/