A 28-year-old Mexican national who was convicted of a drug charge and is a member of the Eastside Homeboys gang was arrested by Dallas-based federal agents last week during a three-day operation targeting people suspected of living in the United States illegally.

In all, 70 people were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Dallas area and Oklahoma from June 1 to 3.

Sixty-four are men, and six are women. Sixty-two are Mexican nationals, three are from El Salvador and one each is from Cuba, Guatemala, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

1 / 4The ICE operation targeted "criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and immigration fugitives," the agency said.(Charles Reed / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) 2 / 4In the 2016 fiscal year, 240,255 removals have been enacted by ICE nationally. 92 percent of those removed had previous criminal offenses. (Charles Reed / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) 3 / 4 4 / 4

Other people arrested had been convicted of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest, ICE said.

Simona L. Flores, field office director for ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Dallas, said the operation targeted unauthorized immigrants who pose a threat to American citizens.

"These actions focus our resources on the most egregious offenders and promote public safety in the communities in which we live and work," she said in a statement.

Those arrested will either begin removal proceedings, await travel arrangements for future deportation or complete prison sentences before deportation, ICE said.

Nina Pruneda, an agency spokeswoman, stated that the names of the people who were arrested cannot be released, citing privacy concerns.