Feds arrest 82 undocumented immigrants with prior convictions in Utah operation

Feds arrest 82 undocumented immigrants with prior convictions in Utah operation

(Brandon Whitworth/KSL-TV)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Eighty-two undocumented immigrants in Utah with prior criminal convictions were arrested in a seven-day operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that ended Friday, authorities said.

In all, 74 of the arrested undocumented immigrants are from Mexico, while the others are from either Latin America or the Pacific Islands, the federal agency said. Salt Lake City saw 26 arrests, the most of any in the 22 cities where the operation was carried out, while 17 arrests were made in West Valley City, seven in Ogden and four in Kearns.

"Those arrested during this week's enforcement action are being processed administratively for removal from the United States," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Carl Rusnok. "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."

Arrestees all have previous convictions, Rusnok said, including for DUI, burglary, assault, meth and cocaine possession, and drug distribution, among other offenses.

The deportation of convicted felons, gang members, national security threats and repeat misdemeanor convicts are prioritized cases in illegal immigration law enforcement, Rusnok said.

"ICE's primary immigration enforcement efforts target convicted criminal aliens," said Daniel Bible, Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office director for enforcement and removal operations. "Consequently, our operations improve overall public safety by removing these criminals from our streets, and ultimately from our country."

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