'Operation Safe Community' Launched… Over 400 with Criminal Records Included
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested 1,328 undocumented immigrants in a large-scale immigration enforcement operation across Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.
In an announcement on the 24th, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that it conducted "Operation Safe Community-Washington, D.C." for two weeks from the 1st to the 14th. This operation was carried out targeting violent criminal offenders and undocumented immigrants who pose a threat to the safety of residents in the National Capital Region.
According to ICE statistics, among the 1,328 individuals arrested over the two-week period, about 900 were non-criminal immigration violators, while the remaining 400-plus were confirmed to have criminal charges or convictions for offenses including sexual assault, kidnapping, firearm crimes, identity theft, robbery, driving under the influence (DUI), and hit-and-run.
Authorities particularly emphasized that the operation netted a large number of wanted felons and members of notorious transnational gangs. The arrest list included an El Salvadoran national wanted for murder, a Haitian national with a history of attempted murder and assault, and a Honduran national with a felony record. In addition, members of major Latin American gangs, including 'MS-13' and the '18th Street Gang,' were also apprehended.
The operation was concentrated more in the suburban areas of Virginia and Maryland surrounding the capital rather than in downtown Washington, D.C. ICE agents reportedly conducted general targeted immigration enforcement in parallel while tracking down undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
Patricia Hyde, Acting Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, stated, "ICE officers possess the highest level of capability in locating individuals who attempt to evade capture and live in hiding," adding, "Our communities will be much safer by removing undocumented immigrants with criminal records from Virginia, Maryland, and the D.C. area."
Meanwhile, this operation is part of a series of large-scale sweeps following "Operation Atlanta" last month, which netted over 1,200 criminal undocumented immigrants in Georgia. Federal authorities plan to continue targeted enforcement aimed at enhancing community safety in the future.