California immigration raids result in 1,157 arrests

Authorities said today that federal immigration agents arrested more than 1,150 people in the largest collective sweep by specialized enforcement teams in California, reports Francisco Vara-Orta

The sweep targeted those who ignored deportation orders or returned to the United States illegally after being deported, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice.

The raids, which ended Saturday, produced 436 arrests in the San Francisco area, 420 in the Los Angeles area and 301 in the San Diego area.

Of the 1,157 illegal immigrants arrested statewide, 595 had outstanding deportation orders and 346 had prior criminal convictions, Kice said. Those arrested come from 34 countries.

The squads responsible for the arrests, known as fugitive operations teams, were developed in 2003 to focus on apprehending foreign nationals who have ignored final orders of deportation or have returned to the U.S. illegally, Kice said.

The most prominent cases involve those wanted or convicted in violent or drug crimes, agency officials said.

"Individuals who defy immigration court orders to leave the country need to understand there are consequences for willfully disregarding the law," said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers, who oversees the federal immigration agency.

One L.A.-area case involved Jose Avila, 41, a Mexican national whose criminal history includes convictions for lewd acts involving a child and for battery. He was arrested Sept. 15 in Santa Fe Springs. After he is released by local authorities, Avila will be returned to federal custody for prosecution on felony charges of reentering the country after his deportation last year.

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Comments

[Southoc]

too bad there are no real men running for president.

[LeRoy Y.]

Once again the biggets come out in force! This is the same crap we will continue to deal with untill a REAL man becomes president and weeds out the good people from the bad!!!!

[southoc]

German, if you hate Americana and Americans so much then why are you breaking the law to be here?

Thank you ICE!

[Insurgo]

Very good work! I love hearing the people who support these illegals whine about this stuff, KEEP POSTING WHINERS!!!

[Germán Gómez]

Hey, don´t forget all the inmigrants that are doing the jobs you don´t want. If they will get out of this country you will be dead because you´re so lazy and you don´t want the underpayed jobs that they take (in the restaurants, the hotels, the constructions) And do you forget that your families came here from another country once? Oh, I think you have a very bad memory...

[wtobias]

im suprsed the ny times did not wright about the poor fake documented gangbang drug dealers doing the job no american wants to do sell drugs to kids

[RedHotChiliPapa]

It's about time!! Now if every state would do this at least once per week for the next 2 years we'd start to make a dent! This move looks political in nature. When is the government going to start cracking down on businesses that pay this people?

[ilovepeiji_com]

If the illegal foreign nationals arrested weren't here, imagine what we can do with the money it cost to run this operation and then having to deports these criminals.

It's amazing to me that our leaders could just ignore this.

[happy]

its about damn time this country stopped tolerating illegals!

good for Julie L. Myers!

[Melissa]

Interesting how only 346 of those in the raid had prior criminal convictions and they came from 34 countries yet the only individual account mentioned in the story is a Mexican with a prior criminal conviction. This is not representative reporting. Where are the stats on the other 800 some odd people? I guess their stories are not interesting enough and don't fit the stereotype of an illegal immigrant.

[Colin Ross]

These sound like the type of raids ICE should be performing rather than targeting illegal immigrant families. Using immigration law to target dangerous drug/violence criminals is an excellent tactic which I hope they continue to make the most of.

[Robert Rowley, Tucson, Arizona]

GOOD JOB!!!! We need to send ALL illegals packing and fine/penalize those who employ/transport/rent to them!

[Dennis Jansen]

Good Start!! Keep up the good work.

Thanks to alll on the teams and to the bosses who have the courage to enforce the laws.

[Ira]

Wow, I'm amazed that they are actually enforcing our laws (finally). we had similar raids her in Colorado. the sad part is we are incorrectly labeled as "racist" for enforcing immigration law.

[Mim]

California is not the only state. When are coming to Georgia.

[Travis Chapman]

Finally! Only 19,998,843 left. Build the damn fence already!

[Starfire]

This is outrageous. It is a total disregard for human rights and is unconstitutional. The FBI is just doing this to see how Americans will respond. If there is not much opposition it will give them good reason to enact martial law and restirict the rights of all Americans.

[Lord Jim]

Hurray. Arrest more lawbreakers.

[Marianne]

Thank you, Powers that Be, for some law enforcement. God knows we need it.

[Frank]

Wow great job guys now you only have 9,486,432 left. When are we going to get these people out of here so we have room to welcome the families that want to move here,get a good job, and work. We need to empty our prisons out and send all of these Mexican criminals home where they belong, I'm tired of paying thier room and board. The first time they try to steal something in Mexico they will be put in that Tia Juana jail.

[kris]

wow it is about time, they need to do that in every state and not let up until they are all gone.

[Joe Citizen]

1,157 down and 20,000,000 to go!!!
Can we ramp this thing up a little?

[Carracticus]

Illegal Immigration is rapidly becoming a urgent flash-point issue, because the this lawbreaking population is out of control. Cities and communities have become violators of immigration law, getting duly labeled as 'Sanctuary cities or even states'?

This is no longer isolated communities whose Governors, Mayors and elected officials, who have sold America to the Special interest lobby.

The majority of Politicians have refused to approach this issues, because it has become a grave concern to hard-hit taxpayers. When uncensored it shows the spread of illegal immigrant crime, devastating economic damage to our welfare programs. Tom Fitton, President of the Watchdog legal group www.judicialwatch.org has adopted a PETITION to stop propagation of 'Sanctuary cities' where death has become an everyday day occurence at the hands of criminal foreign nationals.

So please sign this petition. www.sanctuarybusters.org/Index.asp?source.

www.numbersusa.com for more true facts.