In a weeklong raid in Massachusetts, over 1,400 illegal immigrants were arrested.
Some of the arrestees were murderers and rapists. Others included drug traffickers and gang members.
Federal immigration officers and partners in law enforcement arrested more than 1,400 illegal immigrants during a week-long enforcement campaign targeting violent criminals and gang members hiding in Massachusetts.
The surge, dubbed Operation Patriot 2, ran from 4 September to 30 September. The targeted enforcement resulted in 1,406 illegal immigrants being apprehended, including murderers and rapists as well as child sex predators, drug dealers, and documented transnational gang members such MS-13, Tren de Aragua and 18th Street.
In a release, ICE stated that “more than 600 illegal immigrants arrested had significant criminal records or pending criminal cases for crimes committed in or around the United States, or were known foreign fugitives.” During the course of Operation Patriot 2.0 ICE and federal law enforcement partners focused on egregious criminal foreign offenders. This included transnational criminal groups operating in and around Boston, Massachusetts and other parts of Massachusetts.
ICE and federal partners arrested more than 1,400 illegal immigrants during a week-long immigration enforcement effort that focused on transnational organized crimes, gangs, and egregious criminal alien offenders in Massachusetts. During Patriot 2.0, officers of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston and ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England worked with partners from FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the DEA, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Marshals Service arrested 1,406 illegal immigrants from September 4 to September 30.
Todd M. Lyons, acting ICE director, said: “Patriot 2.0 revealed the grave consequences that sanctuary policies have on local leaders and their citizens. They must prioritize the safety of their constituents over politics.” “Each illegal alien that we arrested in the course of this operation broke U.S. Immigration Law, and hundreds of them were violent criminals. They should not have been allowed to roam free within our communities.” Local law enforcement agencies release them rather than handing them to us in a safe environment. This puts neighborhoods, officers, and illegal aliens, at risk. Local politicians have a responsibility to protect their constituents. They should end unresponsible policies of sanctuary.
More than 600 of the illegal aliens detained had criminal convictions, or criminal charges pending for crimes committed within the United States, or were known foreignfugitives. Throughout Operation Patriot 2.0 ICE and federal law enforcement partners focused on egregious criminal foreign offenders. This included transnational criminal groups operating in and around Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding areas. The notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua and 18th Street gangs are among these organizations. Six of the arrested were members of transnational criminal groups, while others were associates.
ICE and federal law enforcement partners apprehended criminal alien offenders sought by authorities in multiple foreign countries. Three of the arrested individuals were terrorists or suspected terrorists.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has become a safer place to work and live thanks to the dedication and hard work of ICE agents and federal partners. David Wesling, acting Field Office Director of ICE ERO Boston, said that working together we were able arrest over 1,400 illegal immigrants throughout the Commonwealth, many who had committed significant crimes in the United States and abroad. These criminals have victimized innocents and traumatized whole communities. They include murderers, drug dealers, child predators, and members of violent criminal transnational gangs. “All made the mistake of trying to undermine U.S. Immigration Law by hiding out in Massachusetts.”
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in charge of ICE HSI New England, said, “We will continue to work with our federal partners so that we can rid our country of criminals, child predators and gang members. “Public safety and the national security of our country remain our top priorities, and we won’t relent.”
Ted E. Docks is the special agent responsible for the FBI Boston division. He said, “Operation Patriot 2.0 sends a clear, unmistakable and strong message: if you are here illegally and hiding and committing crime, the FBI will find you and arrest you. We will also remove you from the communities.” This latest surge resulted in the arrest of over 1,400 illegal aliens. Many had violent criminal records. The U.S. government ordered hundreds to leave, but they remained illegally. They are not innocent individuals looking for a better future, but they are threats to the public’s safety. The FBI won’t sit by and watch our immigration system being exploited, because the rule-of-law is not optional.”
“The results from Operation Patriot 2.0 are clear: violent criminals who pose a threat to the safety of our community will be held accountable. We have worked closely with federal law enforcement to arrest dangerous criminals who should not be in our communities. These include murderers, drug dealers, gang members and rapists. The U.S. The U.S.
ICE and federal law enforcement partners made most of the arrests after local jurisdictions failed to honor immigration detainers to turn over offenders, and instead chose not to do so. This forced officers and agents in Massachusetts to make at-large arrested.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said, “The U.S. attorneys office will continue to work with our law-enforcement partners to root out individuals who are breaking federal laws and illegally present in the United States,” By removing these individuals from our communities, we have made them safer.
277 of the aliens apprehended in Operation Patriot 2.0 had previously been ordered to leave the United States by an immigration judge at the Justice Department. They refused to follow their removal orders, and continued to remain in the United States illegally.
Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Boston, said: “ATF is proud to support its federal and state law enforcement partners who work to protect the communities,” Thomas Greco stated. We will continue to remove anyone who is committing criminal acts while illegally in the United States.
“DEA is proud of our work with our federal partners in Operation Patriot 2.0, to remove violent criminals aliens from our community,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jarod Forget. New England Field Division. “DEA has given priority to investigations involving violent illegal criminal aliens who are responsible for flooding communities with dangerous drugs. The DEA’s mission is to protect the American public by preventing deadly drugs from entering our communities and to bring criminals who are responsible for their manufacture, distribution and supply to justice.
Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of DSS Boston, said: “The Diplomatic Security Service stands proudly alongside our federal partners in law enforcement to disrupt transnational organised crime and illegal alien offenders within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” “Operation Patriot 2.0 shows our shared commitment to safeguarding national and community security, upholding the law, protecting our communities,” said DSS Boston Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien.
All aliens arrested during Operation Patriot remain in ICE’s custody pending their removal proceedings, or until they are deported from the United States.
