ICE Sweep Nets More Than 180 In Northern California
SANTA CLARA COUNTY (KCBS) – In a massive nationwide sweep, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have made more than 2,900 arrests of convicted criminal immigrants nationwide.
In Northern California, 186 were arrested, including 35 in Santa Clara County.
"Santa Clara is a big county. We have a dedicated team there that that's all they do is focus on that area," said ICE Field Office Director Timothy Aitken. "It's not uncommon that we would get those numbers in a county that big."
KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:
Aitken said that many of those arrested in the state had serious felony convictions.
"These people range from petty theft to homicide to rape to robbery," he said. "It covered the full spectrum of criminal activity."
He said the arrests sent a strong message. "To let them know that you can't come here and commit crime and there's not going to be a nexus to your behavior," said Aitken.
The seven-day national "Operation Cross Check" also netted arrests in Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa counties. It is part of the Obama administration's ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators.
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