ICE defends arrests of 114 Iraqi immigrants in metro Detroit with criminal backgrounds

Niraj Warikoo | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Daughter of Iraqi immigrant detained A daughter of an Iraqi immigrant detained recalls when ICE agents showed up at her home in Sterling Heights on June 11 to arrest him.

Immigration officials today strongly defended their arrests of Iraqi immigrants over the weekend, saying the U.S. detained 114 people in metro Detroit with criminal pasts who posed security threats.

Today's statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was the first time officials said how many were detained in sweeping raids of Iraqi nationals targeted for deportation. Many of the detained immigrants are Christians who say they fear that deportation to Iraq would jeopardize their lives since they are a minority there and under siege.

But ICE said today the detainees have criminal pasts and already faced final removal orders from a judge.

"The operation in this region was specifically conducted to address the very real public safety threat represented by the criminal aliens arrested," Rebecca Adducci, field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit, said in a statement. "The vast majority of those arrested in the Detroit metropolitan area have very serious felony convictions, multiple felony convictions in many cases. I applaud the efforts of the law enforcement personnel who, day in and day out, put their lives on the line to protect this community."

ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls said all but two of the 114 arrested in Michigan had criminal convictions; the other two have pending criminal charges.

In addition to the 114 arrests in metro Detroit, ICE recently arrested 85 other Iraqi nationals outside of Michigan. As of April 17, there were 1,444 Iraqi nationals with final orders for removal, said ICE.

More: Attorneys for Iraqi immigrants detained by ICE file emergency motions to stop deportation

More: Families of Iraqi immigrants detained by ICE wonder if they'll see loved ones again

The arrests came after a March 12 agreement "with the government of Iraq regarding removals," ICE said. "As a result of recent negotiations between the U.S. and Iraq, Iraq has recently agreed to accept a number of Iraqi nationals subject to orders of removal."

Previously, the government of Iraq was not accepting Iraqi nationals with criminal records that the U.S. wanted to deport.

Since March 12, eight Iraqi nationals who were living in the U.S. were deported back to Iraq. Families fear their loved ones could be next. Attorneys representing those arrested say that some family members have been told to pack luggage for the detainees.

Of the 199 Iraqi nationals arrested nationwide, "the overwhelming majority ... had criminal convictions for crimes including homicide, rape, aggravated assault, kidnapping, burglary, drug trafficking, robbery, sex assault, weapons violations and other offenses," Walls of ICE said. "Two individuals (from metro Detroit) did not have criminal convictions but have pending criminal charges for drug trafficking, receiving stolen property and multiple arrests for domestic violence. One individual (outside Michigan) is a non-criminal with a final order of removal."

Meanwhile, attorneys for the Iraqi detainees are taking legal action to try to halt their removal. Southfield attorney Clarence Dass and others have filed motions for their clients asking they be allowed to stay in the U.S.

Activists and family members of some of those detained protested today outside the federal building in downtown Detroit. Similar protests have been held this week in Sterling Heights and Southfield. They say that it's unfair to target groups like Iraqi Christians for removal given that extremists in Iraq have been targeting minority Christians.

But in their statement Wednesday, ICE said it "will not 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."

"ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security," Walls said. "These arrests are consistent with the routine, targeted enforcement action carried out by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations on a daily basis. All enforcement activities are conducted with the same level of professionalism and respect that ICE officers exhibit every day."

Staff Writer Allison Gross contributed to this report. Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or 313-223-4792. Follow him on Twitter @nwarikoo