Enforcement Sweep Focuses on Known Violators, Public Safety Threats
In a focused enforcement operation on August 19, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 24 individuals in Bellefonte for violations of U.S. immigration laws. The arrests were a result of a targeted effort to apprehend individuals identified as residing in the area who were in violation of federal law.
The operation led to the apprehension of several individuals with significant criminal histories or prior removal orders.
READ: USCIS Revives ‘Neighborhood Investigations’ For Naturalization Applicants
Among those arrested was Oscar Alexis Martinez-Lopez, a Salvadoran national and suspected MS-13 gang member with a previous homicide arrest in El Salvador. Another individual, Delfin Amaya-Peres, from Honduras, was also taken into custody, with his criminal record including convictions for assault, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.
According to ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Brian McShane, ICE is “focusing on the worst first through targeted enforcement.” He added that it is also a crime to reside in the U.S. illegally and that ICE is authorized to “vigorously search out, arrest and remove anyone violating federal immigration law.”
The operation was initiated following an investigation that identified multiple immigration law violators suspected of temporarily residing near Interstate 99. Officers intercepted the individuals during traffic stops after they left the premises.
In addition to the individuals with criminal convictions, the arrests included:
- Seven individuals with final orders of removal, with four of those orders being reinstated.
- Four individuals previously expelled under Title 42.
ICE stated it is committed to maintaining the integrity of the immigration system while prioritizing the removal of individuals who pose a threat to public safety and national security.
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