October 9, 2007

ICE partners with local officers nationwide to arrest gang members
More than 1,300 arrests nationally; 27 arrests made in New Jersey

Newark, N.J. - U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) partnered with New Jersey law enforcement officers to arrest 27 foreign nationals who now face criminal charges and deportation, as part of Operation Community Shield, a nationwide effort to combat violent street gang activity.

The arrests are part of a multi-city enforcement operation over the summer to dismantle the criminal organizations across the country. At a news conference in Washington, D.C. today, ICE Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers announced that ICE has arrested more than 1,313 gang members, gang associates, and illegal aliens across the country during the last two months.

"Violent foreign-born gang members represent a threat to communities across the nation. Working closely with our federal, state and local partners, Operation Community Shield has resulted in the arrest of more than 7,500 gang members and associates since its inception, and more than 1,300 just this summer," said Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for ICE. "Violent foreign-born gang members and their associates have more than worn out their welcome, and to them I have one message: good riddance."

In New Jersey, ICE agents worked with 9 local, state and federal partners to identify and apprehend gang members and their associates. The agencies include Morris County Park Police, Hudson County Prosecutor's office, Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Guttenberg Police Department, Union City Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, Boro of Buena Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI.

The foreign nationals arrested as part of these latest ICE enforcement actions in New Jersey are linked to 18 Street Gang, Sureno 13 gang, Jamaican Posse, Vatos Locos, Trinitarios, MS-13 and Latin Kings. In all, 27 individuals were arrested during the summer operation in New Jersey.

Among those arrested by ICE agents during the surge were two members of Sureno 13, Augustin Vasquez-Herrera and Jose Misael Vasquez-Cortes, both Mexican nationals.

Vasquez-Herrera entered the United States without inspection. He was arrested by the Atlantic City Police Department on an outstanding warrant for Failure to Appear. Vasquez-Herrera has five prior arrests by the Atlantic City Police Department, with one felony conviction for Possession of a Destructive Device. He was released into ICE custody immediately following the Atlantic City Police Department arrest to be placed in removal proceedings.

Vasquez-Cortes had an active warrant for his arrest out of the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office.

He also has 3 prior arrests by SP Buena Vista and Hammonton PD for Sexual Assault, Simple Assault, and Receiving Stolen Property. He will also face immigration charges for entering the country illegally.

The majority of those arrested by ICE agents over the summer are Mexican nationals but the group also includes foreign nationals from Jamaica, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.

Also, in May, ICE agents, working with other members of the ICE-led Gang Investigation Unit in Newark, N.J., and in conjunction with the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office arrested 19 subjects in an enforcement operation that dismantled a criminal enterprise run by members of the Latin Kings street gang in northern Hudson County. Tito Lopez, a.k.a. "King Chino," 28, from Guttenberg, was one of the 19 arrested in Hudson County and is allegedly a high-ranking Latin King gang member and leader of the drug distribution organization. "King Chino" Lopez is allegedly responsible for leading fellow gang members in a variety of criminal activities including drug distribution, burglaries, witness intimidation, assaults and weapon sales. In all, the operation netted five federal, 12 state and two ICE administrative arrests. Additionally, 340 grams of cocaine, over one pound of marijuana and crack cocaine were seized during the investigation.

Operation Community Shield is a comprehensive initiative launched by ICE in 2005 to disrupt and dismantle transnational, violent street gangs. Operation Community Shield marks the first time the federal government has used its powerful immigration and customs authorities in a methodical national campaign against criminal street gangs in the United States. Since its inception Operation Community Shield has led to more than 7,500 arrests nationwide.

ICE will continue to use its broad immigration authorities, both criminal and administrative, against gang members, as well as its customs authorities to target gang-related narcotics smuggling and money laundering activities. Operation Community Shield also involves strong cooperation with existing federal, state, and local anti-gang efforts.

-- 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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