ICE crackdown on criminal illegal immigrants results in 25 Utah arrests

SALT LAKE CITY — Immigration officers arrested 2,400 criminal illegal immigrants and fugitives last month as part of a nationwide enforcement effort.

The seven-day targeted operation known as "Cross Check" resulted in arrests in all 50 states, including 25 in Utah. Eleven were in Salt Lake City, while the remainder were scattered over 10 cities from Logan to Provo, said Lori Haley, ICE spokeswoman. She had no details about their crimes.

All of those taken into custody had prior convictions for crimes such as armed robbery, drug trafficking, child abuse, sexual crimes against minors, aggravated assault, theft, forgery and DUI, according to ICE. A total of 22 percent were fugitives with outstanding deportation orders who had failed to leave the country.

The operation involved more than 500 ICE agents and officers, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and state and local police.

“The results of this operation underscore ICE's ongoing focus on arresting those convicted criminal aliens who prey upon our communities, and tracking down fugitives who game our nation's immigration system,” ICE director John Morton said in a statement. 

ICE said it has deported more than 109,700 criminal illegal immigrants since October, including 585 murderers and 3,177 sex offenders.

— Dennis Romboy

Twitter: dennisromboy