ICE crackdown on 'criminal alien' results in 2,900 arrests, including 20 in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — A seven-day nationwide crackdown on suspected illegal immigrants with criminal records resulted in 2,900 arrests, including 20 in Utah.

About 1,900 U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents across the country participated in operation "Cross Check" last week, making arrests in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. Those arrested were citizens of 115 countries, with most being from Mexico, said Vincent Picard, ICE spokesman.

More than 1,600 of those arrested had felony convictions including manslaughter, attempted murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, drug trafficking, child abuse, sexual crimes against minors and aggravated assault, according to ICE.

“Because of the hard work and focus of ICE officers and agents in Utah tracking down at-large criminal aliens and fugitives, there are 20 fewer criminal aliens in our neighborhoods across the state," said  Steven Branch, field office director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Salt Lake City.

The 20 arrests in Utah, 10 of which were made in Salt Lake City, included a Bosnian man with several criminal convictions. Denis Besic, 32, who admitted in federal court to being a meth addict, spent time in jail and served probation for attempted aggravated assault, gun violations and possession of drug paraphernalia, court records show. He is held in the Weber County Jail.

ICE did not have names or criminal histories of the others arrested in Utah. The ongoing operation "Cross Check" resulted in 25 Utah arrests in June.

All of the 2,901 individuals taken into custody last week had prior criminal convictions including at least 1,282 who had multiple criminal convictions, according to ICE. Of the total arrested, 42 were gang members and 151 were convicted sex offenders.

In addition to being convicted criminals, 681 were also immigration fugitives who had previously been ordered to leave the country but failed to do so. Additionally, 387 were illegal re-entrants who had been previously deported multiple times, according to ICE.

Because of their serious criminal histories and prior immigration arrest records, at least 146 of those arrested were referred to U.S attorneys for prosecution on a variety of charges including illegal re-entry after deportation, a felony which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

The Obama administration announced last month it will allow many illegal immigrants facing deportation the chance to remain in the country and apply for a work permit. Meantime, it directed immigration authorities to focus their efforts on apprehending criminals who pose the greatest risk to communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security.

ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or criminals who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

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