ICE and State Partners Target ‘Worst of the Worst’ in Weeklong Multi-Agency Sweep Utilizing Enhanced 287(g) Powers
A joint task force led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Miami and a coalition of state and local 287(g) partners arrested more than 400 illegal aliens with criminal records during a concentrated weeklong enforcement operation across Central Florida from September 22 to September 26.
The operation, described by officials as a broad effort to combat illegal immigration and boost public safety, focused on individuals subject to deportation or those with outstanding criminal warrants.
Participating agencies included the Florida Highway Patrol, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Florida National Guard.
The state of Florida has taken a leading role in the federal government’s immigration enforcement push, now holding a national high of 327 agreements under the 287(g) program—a substantial increase that empowers local law enforcement to perform federal immigration functions.
“The days of allowing illegal aliens to disregard our laws and pose a threat to our communities, our roads, and our economy are over,” said Garrett Ripa, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami Field Office Director. Ripa emphasized that the targets were threats to public safety and highlighted the program’s success as a testament to state-federal partnerships.
The individuals taken into custody face removal proceedings and possess criminal records that include serious charges ranging from driving under the influence and narcotics possession to assault, battery, molestation, and domestic violence.
Among the specific arrests cited by ICE were:
- Walhter Ramiro Hernandez-Ortiz, 18, from Honduras, arrested with a criminal record of lewd and lascivious behavior, battery, and molestation of a victim under 12 years old.
- Juan Carlos Hernandez-Reyes, 48, from Mexico, with a criminal history of domestic violence, DUI, battery, disorderly conduct, and prostitution.
- Pedro Juan Andres, 29, from Guatemala, charged for resisting arrest with violence and burglary.
The collaboration, which included close coordination with leaders like Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, is part of a broader, national strategy to prioritize the removal of offenders deemed the “worst of the worst” to “restore public safety.”
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