ICE Announces Largest Gang Crackdown in History

According to a recent Washington Post article, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced the arrests of 1,378 individuals across the nation over a six-week period as part of the “largest anti-gang crackdown” in history. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit spearheaded “Project New Dawn” and made these arrests with the assistance of local law enforcement agencies. Over two-thirds of the arrested individuals are U.S. citizens, and all but two of the individuals were born in the U.S. Unlike ICE’s immigration unit, HSI has the authority to enforce many federal laws, including those related to drug trafficking, gang activity, and child exploitation. ICE released the names of only four of individuals whom they arrested; these individuals were arrested in New Jersey and San Antonio, Texas. A total of 1,098 individuals now face criminal charges, half of which are federal offenses. The remaining state criminal offenses, investigated with the cooperation of local law enforcement agencies, primarily occurred in the Houston, New York, Atlanta, and Newark areas. A total of 21 individuals face charges related to murder, and another seven were arrested for rape and sexual assault. Additionally, 280 people face civil immigration violations that may result in their deportation. Of those individuals, 112 individuals have ties with gangs, including the Bloods, Surenos, the Crips, and MS-13, an international gang whose command center is in El Salvador. ICE agents arrested 29 members of MS-13 in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, and another 11 gang members in the Falls Church, Virginia area. Three individuals had been part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but were having their statuses revoked. Ten individuals who were arrested entered the country through the U.S.-Mexican border as unaccompanied minors, and nine of those ten individuals were gang members. Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., has the experience that you need when you are facing deportation charges. We know how to gather the facts that are relevant to your case, assess your options, and determine whether you have any legal defenses that may enable you to avoid deportation and remain in the U.S. Contact the Oakland immigration attorneys at our office today and learn how we potentially can help you and your family through this difficult situation.