SALT LAKE CITY – A six-day ICE immigration enforcement raid has ended with 235 people arrested, 111 of them in Utah.
Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they were looking to round up “potentially deportable criminals,” like convicted child sex offenders, in the raid that ended Thursday.
Authorities also made arrests in three other states; Nevada (89 arrests), Idaho (34 arrests) and Montana (1 arrest).
Officials said all of the foreign nationals targeted by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations officers during last week’s sweep had prior criminal convictions.
Many had criminal histories that included convictions for serious or violent offenses like child sex crimes and assault.
Those arrested in Utah include foreign nationals from eight countries — Mexico (95); Guatemala (4); Honduras (4); El Salvador (2); Peru (2); Samoa (2); Brazil (1); and Tonga (1).
Criminal summaries of six arrested in Utah during operation:
- A 31-year-old man from Mexico was arrested by ERO officers in West Valley City, Utah, Oct. 24. He had been convicted for attempted unlawful sexual conduct, a felony, for which he was sentenced to three years’ probation. He remains in ICE custody and pending immigration removal proceedings.
- A 58-year-old man from Guatemala was arrested in Salt Lake City Oct. 24. He had been convicted of assault-committed with unlawful force to cause bodily injury, a class B misdemeanor, for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail. He was also convicted for sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor and was sentenced 345 days in jail. He remains in ICE custody and pending immigration removal proceedings.
- A 52-year-old man from Mexico was arrested by ERO officers in Springville, Utah, Oct. 25. He had been convicted of continuous sexual abuse, a felony, and was sentenced to a term of 365 days in jail. He was also convicted of illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. He remains in ICE custody pending his removal.
- A 32-year-old man from Mexico was arrested by ERO officers in Ogden, Utah, Oct. 27. He had been convicted of attempted unlawful sex activity with a minor, a class A misdemeanor, and sentenced to 365 days in jail. He is a registered sex offender. He remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
- A 52-year-old man from Samoa was arrested by ERO officers in Salt Lake City Oct. 27. He had been convicted of sexual abusing a child, a second-degree felony, and was sentenced to 1 to 15 years in the Utah State Prison. He is a registered sex offender. He remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
- A 32-year-old man from Mexico was arrested by ERO officers in Salt Lake City Oct. 27. He has twice been convicted of sexually exploiting a minor, a second-degree felony, and was sentenced to a term of 1 to 15 years in the Utah State Prison. He is a registered sex offender. He remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
Officials said those who were arrested are being processed in order to be sent home.
Those who have outstanding orders of removal or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported are subject to immediate removal from the country.
According to ICE officers, all of the targets in this operation met the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s two top immigration enforcement priorities.
Priority 1 targets include threats to national security, criminal street gang members, convicted felons and aggravated felons.
Priority 2 targets include convictions for three or more misdemeanors or convictions for significant misdemeanors including DUIs.
