Nationwide Sting Nets Immigrant Felons In Texas, Oklahoma
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Federal immigration authorities say they have arrested more than 100 undocumented immigrants with prior criminal convictions living illegally in North Texas and Oklahoma.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrests Monday as part of a five-day operation carried out last week.
Operation "Cross Check," began Sunday, March 1, and ended Thursday, March 5. More than 2,000 people were arrested nationwide in the operation.
The 2,059 individuals with prior criminal convictions who were arrested include more than 1,000 individuals who have multiple criminal convictions. More than 1,000 of those arrested have felony convictions, including voluntary manslaughter, child pornography, robbery, kidnapping and rape. 58 are known gang members or affiliates, and 89 are convicted sex offenders.
"This nationwide operation led to the apprehension of more than 2,000 convicted criminal aliens who pose the greatest risk to our public safety," said Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. "Today, communities around the country are safer because of the great work of the men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement."
ICE regional spokesman Carl Rusnok says 47 of the 109 people arrested regionally (Texas, Oklahoma) were convicted of felonies.
They include a Balch Springs man who was convicted this year of indecency with a child involving sexual contact.
In the nationwide sweep, 476 were illegal re-entrants who had been previously removed from the country.
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