The Immigration and Customs Control Agency (ICE) carried out “Safe Community Operation” in which 1,300 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland.
The operation was on August 1 and 14, the Department of National Security (DHS) said, which defended the actions focused on undocumented immigrants “with criminal records including convictions for sexual assault, abduction, driving under the effects of alcohol, assault and escape, identity theft and theft, as well as arrests for murder, attempted murder and rape.”
However, authorities acknowledged that of the immigrants 400 have some criminal history, but most do not.
“The brave men and women of ICE work hard every day to expel these dangerous illegal immigrants from our country,” said Secretary of National Security Markwayne Mullin. “The Trump Administration will always prioritize American citizens. By arresting and expelling illegal immigrants from our communities, we will make America a safe place again.”
The operation in Maryland and Virginia is a mirror of Operation Safe Community in Atlanta in July, where ICE agents arrested more than 1,200 undocumented immigrants.
“Our agents are the best in the world in finding people who don’t want to be localized. That’s exactly what we did throughout this operation,” said Patricia Hyde, ICE’s Interim Deputy Director of Control and Expulsion Operations (ERO). “Expelling these undocumented immigrants from the neighborhoods of Virginia and Maryland contributes to creating much safer communities, and that is the goal that ICE men and women strive to every day across our country.”
The DHS says that in the migratory operation it was possible to arrest numerous members of transnational street gangs such as the MS-13, the Rue 18 gang and the Aragua Train.
