ICE arrests 111 ‘criminal aliens’ in New England

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

The US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a seven-day national enforcement operation has led to the arrest of 111 immigrants with criminal records in New England.

“When we focus on the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens we get an immediate payback in our communities. Because of the tireless efforts and teamwork of ICE officers and agents, along with our state and local law enforcement partners, there are 111 fewer criminal aliens in our neighborhoods across New England,” Vincent Archibeque, acting field office director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in New England, said in a statement.

The agency said the operation, which resulted in more than 2,900 arrests nationwide, was part of the Obama administrations commitment to prioritize the removal of “criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators.”

All 111 arrested in New England had prior criminal convictions, including 64 with multiple convictions. Eighty-two of those arrested had felony convictions. Four were gang members and five were convicted sex offenders, the agency said.

ICE identified only seven of the 2,900 criminals and did not immediately explain why the names of the others have not been disclosed.