{"id":14095,"date":"2017-05-11T16:38:45","date_gmt":"2017-05-11T20:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/live-immigrationreform.pantheonsite.io\/?p=14095"},"modified":"2018-12-28T12:50:13","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T17:50:13","slug":"ice-completed-crackdown-on-gangs-arrested-445-foreign-nationals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2017\/05\/11\/ice-completed-crackdown-on-gangs-arrested-445-foreign-nationals\/","title":{"rendered":"ICE Completes Crackdown on Gangs: Arrested 445 Foreign Nationals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past six weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents engaged<\/a> in the largest Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) enforcement surge ever attempted against criminal gangs. According to an ICE press release, the operation targeted \u201cgang members and associates involved in transnational criminal activity, including drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering.\u201d<\/p>\n

The operation was highly successful, leading to 1,378 total arrests, including 445 non-citizen foreign nationals. Of those, 222 were members of the highly dangerous, foreign-based MS-13 or Sure\u00f1os gangs. In addition, three of the suspects previously received deferred action under former President Obama\u2019s controversial Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.<\/p>\n

According to ICE, immigration officials and law enforcement have now arrested more than 7,300 MS-13 members since the onset of \u201cOperation Community Shield\u201d in 2005. The vast majority of these members are criminal aliens<\/p>\n

During the campaign season, President Trump promised to crack down on illegal immigration, especially criminal illegal aliens. He especially drew a hard line on gang members, saying<\/a>, \u201cAll illegal aliens in gangs should be apprehended and deported.\u201d He also promised to empower and expand ICE, including a call<\/a> to triple the number of ICE agents on or near the border.<\/p>\n

Embarking on the largest-ever HSI effort against illegal aliens is certainly a strong step toward keeping that promise. It also shows that cooperation between immigration officials and local law enforcement produces results that make Americans safer. \u201cOur efforts to dismantle gangs are much more effective in areas where partnership with local law enforcement is strongest,\u201d noted ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan. Cities and congressional leaders that support \u201csanctuary city\u201d policies should take note of these successful partnerships.