United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Newark, New Jersey, conducted an approximately two-week-long operation that led to the apprehension of 38 illegal aliens, according to a Thursday press release from the federal immigration agency.

The operation, which spanned from April 15 to April 26, arrested “egregious criminal offenders” with prior convictions and/or pending charges.

'We will use the full force of our immigration authority.'

One of the detained individuals, a 36-year-old Honduran national, was previously “convicted of felony rape, false imprisonment, sex offense, and perverted practice,” ICE reported. That individual was removed from the country in 2017.

ICE also arrested a 27-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic “who was convicted of felony endangering-sexual conduct with a child by non-caretaker.“

A detained Mexican national, 39, was previously removed from the U.S., convicted of prostitution and driving under the influence.

Other detained individuals included a 26-year-old Chilean national with a felony burglary conviction and a 46-year-old Columbian citizen accused of “money laundering, promoting gambling and conspiracy/promoting gambling.”

In response to the arrests, ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris stated, “Those who enter our country illegally and break our laws should know that we will use the full force of our immigration authority to bring them to justice.”

“These individuals were placed in ERO custody and processed for removal proceedings under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Tsoukaris noted.

ICE primarily focuses on detaining illegal immigrants who have committed additional crimes in addition to unlawfully entering the country.

“In fiscal year 2023, ERO arrested 73,822 noncitizens with criminal histories; this group had 290,178 associated charges and convictions with an average of four per individual. These included 33,209 assaults; 4,390 sex and sexual assaults; 7,520 weapons offenses; 1,713 charges or convictions for homicide; and 1,655 kidnapping offenses,” ICE reported.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey announced Thursday the arrest of six Chilean nationals who were charged in connection with a burglary ring that targeted residences in multiple states, including New York and Maryland. According to a Department of Justice press release, the suspects stole jewelry, collectibles, and other goods.

The suspects were charged with “one count of conspiracy to sell and receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.”

Tsoukaris said, “These arrests of a group of foreign-born individuals that engaged in interstate crime demonstrates how critical the cooperation between various law enforcement agencies continues to be.”

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