February 23, 2007

ICE Operation Secure Streets yields 43 illegal alien arrests in Raleigh area
35 had criminal histories including DUI-related crimes

RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Raleigh Fugitive Operations Team apprehended more than 40 illegal aliens, most with criminal histories, after conducting the area’s first Operation Secure Streets.

ICE officers arrested a total of 43 illegal aliens during its two-day operation spanning Wake, Harnett, and Johnston counties.  The operation concluded yesterday resulting in the arrests of 35 illegal aliens with criminal histories including driving under the influence (DUI), indecent liberties with children and drug charges.  

“ICE is committed to removing criminal aliens from our communities,” said Felicia Skinner, acting field office director for the Office of Detention and Removal overseeing Raleigh.  “We would like to commend the local law enforcement agencies for their support during this operation.”

Operation Secure Streets is an ongoing ICE initiative primarily designed to safeguard the public by identifying, arresting and placing into removal proceedings individuals who pose a threat to the community and who have no legal right to remain in the country.  The primary targets of the operation were individuals with prior DUI arrests. In the course of developing information about those targeted illegal aliens, ICE officers also identified and arrested illegal aliens with other egregious criminal histories.

Of those criminal aliens arrested, 13 had prior DUI-related charges including four with convictions for indecent liberties with children and one person with multiple convictions for crimes including kidnapping, robbery and DUI.

The remaining individuals were either foreign-born nationals with other criminal convictions, or those deemed to be in violation of U.S. immigration laws.  Those arrested are from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Honduras.

Operation Secure Streets began in April 2006 as a pilot program in Charlotte, NC, where similar subsequent operations have also taken place. Including the latest operation in Raleigh, Operation Secure Streets has resulted in the arrests of more than 250 illegal aliens from North Carolina.

Operation Secure Streets began in April 2006 as a pilot program in Charlotte, NC, where similar subsequent operations have also taken place. Including the latest operation in Raleigh, Operation Secure Streets has resulted in the arrests of more than 250 illegal aliens from North Carolina.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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