NEW JERSEY — A Peruvian national in the country illegally, who has an Interpol warrant in Peru for aggravated robbery, is among 77 foreign nationals arrested during recent enforcement actions conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New Jersey from July 22 to August 20, targeting individuals with arrests or convictions for assault, domestic violence, other crimes involving victims.
ICE officers arrested more than 2,000 at-large individuals living illegally in the U.S., or who are removable from the U.S. due to their criminal histories, from July 13 to August 20.
About 85 percent of those arrested nationally by ICE on immigration charges also had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
“The remarkable results of our officers and law enforcement partners highlight ICE’s ongoing commitment to public safety,” said John Tsoukaris, field office director of ERO Newark. “This enforcement action focused on targeting individuals that have been arrested or convicted of crimes involving victims as well as those who pose a risk to public safety. Because of the targeted efforts of these professional officers, there are fewer criminals in our communities.”
These individuals will go through removal proceedings before an immigration judge, or for those under a final order of removal, arrangements will be made to remove them from the U.S.
The individuals arrested throughout New Jersey were nationals of Brazil (1), China (1), Colombia (2), Costa Rica (1), Dominican Republic (6), Ecuador (5), El Salvador (7), Guatemala (12), Guyana (1), Haiti (2), Honduras (8), India (1), Jamaica (1), Mexico (22), Nicaragua (1), Peru (2), Trinidad (1), United Kingdom (2), and Venezuela (1).
These individuals were arrested in the following counties in New Jersey: Atlantic (1), Bergen (7), Burlington (8), Camden (3), Cumberland (3), Essex (5), Hudson (3), Mercer (7), Middlesex (6), Monmouth (6), Morris (1), Ocean (6), Passaic (7), Somerset (3), Union (10), and Warren (1). The individuals arrested range from age 19 to 63 years old and most were previously convicted of domestic violence offenses. Some of the other convictions included homicide, sexual assault on a minor, criminal sexual contact, child fondling, possession of marijuana, DUI, fraud, possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, larceny, rioting, public order crimes, robbery, burglary, and illegal reentry.
Among those arrested during this targeted enforcement action include:
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- In Newark, a 30-year-old Guatemalan national, who has an arrest warrant in Guatemala for the offenses of homicide and aggravated robbery.
- In Rockaway, a 31-year-old Belize national, who is the subject of a warrant in Texas for the offense of aggravated sexual assault of a minor;
- In Hackensack, a 29-year-old Indian national, who has a conviction for criminal sexual contact;
- In Hackensack, a 32-year-old Dominican national, who has a conviction for the offense of child fondling;
- In Plainfield, a 61-year-old previously deported Mexican national, who has a conviction for fraud by wire;
- In Newark, a 48-year-old Guyanese national, who has a conviction for the offense of child fondling
- In Paterson, a 36-year-old Dominican national, who has a conviction for the offense of larceny;
- In Carteret a 40-year-old previously deported El Salvadorian, who has a conviction for the offense of burglary;
- In Guttenberg, a 51-year-old Venezuelan national, who has a conviction for the offense larceny;
- In Toms River, a 29-year-old United Kingdom national, who has a conviction for the possession of a weapon;
- In Trenton, a 35-year-old Guatemalan national who has a conviction for driving under the influence;
- In Clifton, a 44-year-old Dominican national, who has a conviction for domestic violence;
- In Brick, a 32-year-old- Mexican national, who has a conviction for domestic violence;
- In Camden, a 43-year-old- Mexican national, who has a conviction for domestic violence;
- In Mt. Laurel, a 38-year-old- Columbian national, who has a conviction for fraud and illegal use of credit cards;
- In Lakewood, a 23-year-old Mexican national, who is a member of the La Gran Familia Mexicana gang;
- In Newark, a 34-year-old Chinese national was charged with money laundering;
- In Mt. Laurel, a 28-year-old El Salvadorian national was charged with child neglect
ICE continues to target criminal aliens and other public safety and national security threats every day. ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All those in violation of immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States. ICE takes many factors into account when targeting and arresting individuals, including their criminal and immigration history.
Victims of crime committed by individuals with a nexus to immigration are encouraged to contact ICE’s VOICE office if they need assistance. The VOICE office affords victims and their loved ones a single point of contact to obtain information regarding criminal aliens in ICE custody, including the ability to get automated custody status information, releasable case history about the perpetrator, or having an ICE representative explain the immigration enforcement and removal process. The toll-free VOICE Hotline number is 1-855-48-VOICE.
ICE exercises all appropriate prosecutorial discretion when encountering the family members of arrest targets and evaluates each individual situation to determine the appropriate course of action. According to ICE Directive 10076.1 Prosecutorial Discretion: Certain Victims, Witnesses, and Plaintiffs, ICE should exercise all appropriate prosecutorial discretion to minimize any effect that immigration enforcement may have on the willingness and ability of victims, witnesses, and plaintiffs to call the police and pursue justice.
The NJNEOA presented the award to Prosecutor Knapp on September 3, 2020, at their
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