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Federal and state prosecutors are putting out a warning to gang members in the country illegally, they're coming after you.
U.S. District Attorney Brett Tolman said, "While we are tired and frustrated and upset about gang violence, we are equally as motivated to eradicate it."
In a show of force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, together with police in Utah and Weber counties, arrested 50 illegal immigrant gang members in just a couple of weeks.
"Every one will be deported, either immediately or at the conclusion of their prison sentence," said Tolman.
Tolman says they're going to start federally prosecuting every foreign national gang member they can.
ICE Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lines said, "Many of these individuals have simply made a mockery of our immigration laws."
Many of those arrested had been previously deported from the U.S., some as recently as last March.
Lines said, "Many of these individuals have made a mockery of immigration laws. They've been previously convicted of other violations, deported, and are using our borders as a revolving door."
Lines says if a deported gang member re-enters the country and ends up in Utah, he or she will be sent to federal prison for 10 to 20 years.
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
