RICHMOND, Va. – Over the course of a week from Nov. 12 to 20, officers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) targeted and arrested 23 individuals on criminal and civil violations in central Virginia, including those with convictions for indecent exposure, making felony threats to damage buildings or transportation, assault and battery, identity theft and driving under the influence. The arrests were made as part of Operation Eagle’s Shield, an enforcement operation targeting notable threats to public safety throughout Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Arrests took place in the following cities: Richmond (13), Henrico (3), Chester (2), North Chesterfield (2), Chesterfield (1), Petersburg (1), and Hanover (1). ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office all assisted ICE officers during the week.

“ICE officers pursue public safety threats every day,” said ERO Washington Field Office Director Russell Hott. “These individuals not only disregarded our nation’s immigration laws, but they have also committed serious crimes here in the U.S.”

Examples of aliens arrested during the enforcement initiative include:

A Salvadoran national illegally present in the U.S. who has a conviction for assault and battery and was the subject of a tip to the agency’s tip line for human smuggling.

A Honduran national and repeat immigration violator illegally present in the U.S. who has a felony conviction for making threats to bomb or damage buildings or means of transportation, as well as misdemeanor convictions. He was previously removed from the U.S.

A Honduran national who has three DUI convictions within five years, as well as a two additional DWI convictions and an assault and battery conviction.

The arrestees, all males, included nationals from the following four countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Two cases are being presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for prosecution on criminal re-entry after deportation charges, a criminal felony charge punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

ICE continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy. ICE no longer exempts 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.