The Associated Press reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement have arrested 58 illegal aliens during a five day sweep of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire conducted from Nov. 30th to Dec 4th.

According to the report, dozens of these individuals either were convicted or had pending charges against them.

"Thirty of the people have prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, and 33 have criminal charges pending, immigration officials said. Nine had been previously deported, and 15 had been previously released by local authorities despite the agency's request to hold them," the AP noted.

Likewise, two of the illegal aliens arrested were wanted for murders in Brazil. One of these men in question was found in Lynn, Mass. while the other was found in Putnam, Conn.

According to ICE's Boston Field Office, "Ultimately, efforts by local politicians have shielded removable criminal aliens from immigration enforcement and created another magnet for more illegal immigration, all at the expense of the safety and security of the very people it purports to protect."

Because of sanctuary cities unwillingness to cooperate with federal authorities, ICE is left with no other choice but to conduct these large-scale raids throughout New England, says Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE's Boston's field office.

Similar raids throughout New England this year have yielded drug dealers and violent criminals using fake identities to conduct massive welfare fraud As reported by Townhall in July "The Department of Justice announced charges against 25 individuals...who committed fraud using Puerto Rican identities in an effort to gain government benefits and in some cases even vote. 22 of the 25 charged were illegal aliens, many with records of drug dealing, violent crimes, and some previously deported."

It is unclear how many of these illegal aliens recently arrested will actually be deported.