West Slope immigration roundup nets 34

Rocky Mountain News

Published September 13, 2006 at midnight

Text size  

• 0 Comments
• Email
• Print

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and police rounded up 34 suspected criminals, fugitives and immigration law violators in a two-day immigration enforcement operation in Colorado concluded Tuesday.

In a press release issued today, ICE officials explained "Operation Return to Sender" is a continuation of a nationwide operation first executed in June.

So far, 2,179 illegal immigrants have been arrested.

Officers and agents from ICE offices in Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Craig and Denver carried out the enforcement operation with assistance from Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.

ICE began the Carbondale operation Monday, arresting 22 illegal immigrants from Mexico, nine from El Salvador, and three from Honduras. Seven had previous criminal convictions; two had returned after having been previously deported and may be presented to the U.S. Attorney for prosecution, ICE said

"Taking fugitive aliens off our streets is a top ICE priority," said Douglas Maurer, field office director who heads ICE’s Office of Detention and Removal Operations in Denver.

He said ICE regularly conducts these operations to send a message to absconders and other illegal immigrants that ICE will find them and send them home.

Among the 34 individuals arrested in the Denver operation, so far 12 have already been returned to Mexico.

Re-entering the U.S. after being deported is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Featured

• DNC in Denver

  

  Complete coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

• The Crevasse

  

  A five-part series that examines one tragic day on Mount Rainier.

• Deadly denial

  

  Sick nuclear workers applied for government compensation but most haven't seen a dime.

• Final Salute

  

  The Rocky followed Maj. Steve Beck as he took on the most difficult duty of his career.

• 'Colorado's burning'

  

  Coverage of the state's worst wildfires.

• Columbine shootings

  

  Coverage of the April 20, 1999, shootings at Littleton's Columbine High School.

• The Crossing

  

  Colorado's deadliest traffic accident killed 20 children on Dec. 14, 1961.

• Osveli's journey

  

  Osveli Sales left Guatemala for a better life. Two months later, he came home in a box.

• Wake for an Indian warrior

  

  Oglala Sioux bestow a tribute to the first tribal fatality in Iraq.