Caribbean nationals netted in raid
Published:Wednesday | December 24, 2008 | 9:28 AM
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials yesterday said their agents arrested more than 100 Caribbean nationals in a major immigration sweep in South Florida.
Officials said 110 persons classified as immigration fugitives and immigration violators, were detained after a five-day enforcement operation in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, as well as in Orlando and Tampa.
According to ICE, among those arrested and who will be deported are nationals from Haiti, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
They said 81 are immigration fugitives who went into hiding after earlier being ordered to leave the country and the other 29 were guilty of violating immigration laws.
The operation netted 47 arrests in Miami-Dade, 30 in Broward, 15 in Palm Beach, 11 in Tampa and seven in Orlando.
Of the 110 arrested, 93 remain in ICE custody, and 17 were processed for removal and released.
In the case of those released, ICE officials say they released migrants who were verified to be sole caregivers or as having medical concerns.
Of the arrested, officials said 24 had criminal records that included aggravated assault, battery, drug possession, trespassing, disorderly conduct, sexual battery, Social Security fraud, burglary, carrying a concealed firearm, larceny, and grand theft.