North Texas

ICE Raids Result in Nearly 700 Arrested, 51 in San Antonio

Officers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 51 people in San Antonio area last week, part of a national sweep that resulted in nearly 700 arrests.

Of the 51 arrested in San Antonio, ICE said 23 of the foreign nationals had criminal convictions. Of those 23, ICE noted one was a Mexican citizen convicted of aggravated assault who had once been removed from the United States, another was a citizen of El Salvador who pled guilty to the sexual assault of a child and a third was a citizen of Mexico who was convicted of domestic violence as a repeat offender.

ICE said the arrests came from fugitive operations teams targeting specific threats and that they do not indiscriminately conduct sweeps, checkpoints or raids.

"Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible. These reports create panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support," ICE said in a statement. "These operations targeted public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who illegally re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges."

Officials said those arrested in San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and New York City posed a threat to public safety, border security or the integrity of the immigration system.

"Of those arrested, approximately 75 percent were criminal aliens, convicted of crimes including, but not limited to, homicide, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual assault of a minor, lewd and lascivious acts with a child, indecent liberties with a minor, drug trafficking, battery, assault, DUI and weapons charges," ICE said.

ICE said some of those arrested will face criminal prosecution in the United States while others will be deported.

To date, there have been no confirmed operations in North Texas.

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