United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says a number of Caribbean nationals are included in the 31 immigrants detained during a sweep in New York by officers from the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
ICE said that the sweep, which ran from May 19-23, “focused on persons ordered removed from the US with criminal convictions or pending charges”.
It said ERO deportation officers arrested the 31 individuals for violating US immigration laws and those detained include nationals from Jamaica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, the Dominican Republic, as well as China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, Peru and Ukraine.
ICE said 26 of those arrested were convicted criminals or had criminal charges pending, and more than 29 had been issued a final order of removal and failed to depart the United States, or had been previously removed from the United States.
“Some of the individuals arrested during these enforcement actions may face federal criminal prosecution for illegal re-entry after removal. The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States.
“Those who have outstanding orders of removal, or who returned to the United States illegally after being removed, are generally subject to immediate removal from the country. Two individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge,” ICE said.
