ICE Arrests Nearly 3,000 Fugitive Immigrants

DETROIT (WWJ) - Immigration agents say they've arrested 2,901 illegal immigrants suspected of crimes, with 58 of them here in Michigan.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency known as "ICE", says the seven-day operation was the largest of its kind and all of the suspects have prior criminal records.

"The results of this targeted enforcement operation underscore ICE's ongoing commitment and focus on the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens and those that game our nation's immigration system," said ICE Director John Morton. "Because of the tireless efforts and teamwork of ICE officers and agents in tracking down at large criminal aliens and fugitives, there are 2,901 fewer criminal aliens in our neighborhoods across the country."

All of those arrested in Michigan were men with countries of origin including Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Canada, Iraq Albania, Serbia, Jamaica, India, Poland, the Dominican Republic and Jordan among others.  Of the 60 arrests in Michigan 18 were in Metro Detroit.

According to ICE officials, the suspects were wanted for crimes ranging from child molestation to rape and murder.

Last week's enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program (NFOP), which is responsible for locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives.