April 11, 2007

ICE apprehends 76 criminal aliens, fugitives and other immigration violators in western Michigan interior enforcement operation
Arrests result from 6-day initiative called “Operation Cross Check”

DETROIT — U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today that ICE agents and officers apprehended 76 criminal aliens, fugitive aliens and other immigration status violators as part of a six-day western Michigan interior immigration enforcement operation that began March 25.

Dubbed “Operation Cross Check,” this local, targeted enforcement initiative concluded March 30 and is part of an ongoing nationwide operation primarily focused on criminal aliens. ICE agents and officers from Detroit carried out the enforcement operation assisted by officers from the Grand Rapids and Holland Police Departments.

ICE began the western Michigan operation Sunday, March 25 in Grand Rapids making 28 arrests, and arresting 10 more people in Holland the next day. ICE officers continued the operation through March 30 arresting an additional 38 aliens. The aliens apprehended ranged in age from 18 to 66 years old.

“The arrest of targeted fugitives, criminal aliens and immigration violators remains an ICE priority,” said Vincent Clausen, field office director of the ICE Detention and Removal Operations Office in Detroit.  “ICE will vigorously pursue criminal aliens who have violated the nation’s laws.  The criminal enforcement targets in this operation will have their day in court, if they haven’t already. Each alien now faces deportation on ICE’s terms.”

Re-entering the United States after having been deported is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  ICE works closely with U.S. Attorney’s offices to present for prosecution aliens who illegally re-enter the United States.

Among the 76 individuals arrested in this western Michigan operation, 55 had criminal convictions for crimes including assault and criminal sexual conduct. Twelve of those arrested were fugitive aliens who had been issued final orders of removal by a federal immigration judge but failed to comply.

Those arrested in this interior immigration enforcement operation came from the following eight countries: Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Romania, Thailand and Vietnam.

Following are some of the criminal aliens who were arrested in this immigration enforcement operation:

• Rodolfo Viamonte-Gonzalez, 66, Cuba, convicted for assault with the intent to commit sexual penetration with a female under 15 years old. He remains in ICE custody and has been placed in removal proceedings.
  
• Jose Juan Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 21, Mexico, convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a thirteen-year-old female. Gonzalez-Rodriguez remains in ICE custody and has been placed in removal proceedings.
  
• Phong Anh Nguyen, 39, a citizen of Vietnam, convicted of delivery of a controlled substance. He remains in ICE custody pending the determination of a federal immigration judge.
  

These arrests are based on the latest enforcement actions under the interior enforcement strategy that was announced in April 2006 by the Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff and Assistant Secretary Julie Myers. A critical element of this interior enforcement strategy is to identify and remove criminal aliens, fugitives and other immigration violators from the United States

-- 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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