ICE arrests 75 people during weeklong operation in Michigan, Ohio

A weeklong operation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) led to the arrests of 75 people in Michigan and Ohio.

Of those foreign nationals, about 70% had prior arrests or convictions, and one was an alleged MS-13 gang member wanted in El Salvador for homicide, ICE said this week.

"ICE officers are first and foremost focused on removing criminal aliens from the community,” Rebecca Adducci, field office director of ICE Removal Operations (ERO) in Michigan and Ohio, said in a news release. “I applaud the dedicated men and women of ICE and our partners who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, often in the face of great personal danger.”

Those arrested during the Feb. 1-7 sweep hailed from the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Jamaica, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tunisia.

In Detroit, agents arrested a 53-year-old citizen of Honduras with two drunken driving convictions. In Warren, agents detained a 55-year-old citizen of Iraq with convictions for larceny, breaking and entering, and delivery of cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana. In Warren, agents arrested a 41-year-old citizen of Serbia with convictions for carjacking and drunken driving.

Nationwide, about 86% of ERO’s administrative arrests in 2019 were of people who either had a criminal conviction or were facing criminal charges, according to ICE.

Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.