LOS ANGELES, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Thursday that it arrested 162 illegal immigrants during a three-day operation this week which spanned the Los Angeles area.
In a press release, the ICE described the enforcement operation from Sunday through Tuesday as "the most dangerous types of enforcement actions ICE officers are engaged in daily basis," saying about 90 percent of those arrested who come from nine countries had criminal records, including a Mexican national convicted of rape and a citizen of El Salvador convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter.
"This operation targeted public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, and individuals who have violated the immigration laws of the United States - including those who re-entered the country after being deported and immigration fugitives ordered deported by federal immigration judges." the press release said.
The ICE also complained that 53 of the 164 suspects had been previously placed on ICE detainers list filed to local law enforcement but were ignored.
A detainer is request for local law enforcement agencies to notify the ICE when an illegal immigrant suspect is released from jail, however, under California's sanctuary state laws which took effect from this year, local officials are barred from asking about a suspect's immigration status or participating in immigration enforcement efforts.
The disputes over the sanctuary state laws triggered a series of law battles between the the Justice Department of the United States and California authority.
Those suspects arrested in the operation who are not being prosecuted will be deported directly, the ICE confirmed on Thursday.