US arrests hundreds in immigration raids
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US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detaining a suspect during an enforcement operation, Los Angeles, California
The government of US President Donald Trump says it has arrested hundreds of people in its immigration raids, claiming that most of them are convicted felons.
US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Monday that out of the more than 680 people arrested, around 75 percent have criminal records, ranging from homicide to drunk driving.
The arrests were carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, which had endorsed Trump during the presidential campaign.
“The focus of these targeted enforcement operations is consistent with the routine, targeted arrests carried out by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams on a daily basis,” said Gillian Christensen, acting press secretary for the department.
According to ICE, some of the detained immigrants had ignored deportation ultimatums. The rest were arrested because of illegal residence.
One official told The New York Times that the arrests were planned around individuals’ routines.
It was not clear if the operation was a continuation of former President Barack Obama’s anti-immigration measures or an escalation under Trump’s order.
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