ICE Operation Targeting California 'Sanctuary' Cities Nets Over 125 Arrests
WASHINGTON (CBS SF) -- Officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday announced a recent targeted enforcement operation that resulted in the apprehension of over 125 at-large aliens across California, including in San Francisco.
A press release about the week-long operation indicated the actions focused on cities "where sanctuary policies have largely prohibited the cooperation of law enforcement agencies in the arrest of criminal aliens."
The ICE enforcement actions, called Operation Rise by officials, started on September 18 and was completed on October 3. It targeted aliens subject to removal who were arrested for crimes, but were released by state or local law enforcement agencies, despite having active immigration detainers in place.
According to officials, over 95 percent of those aliens arrested had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges at the time of arrest.
"Unfortunately, certain local politicians, including many in California continue to put politics over public safety. Instead of fulfilling our shared mission to protect our communities, they would rather play politics with the law by enacting so-called Sanctuary City policies to the detriment of our country's safety," said acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. "Operation Rise is proof-positive that we will never back down from enforcing the rule of law, with or without the cooperation of local politicians."
During Operation Rise, ICE officers in California identified, targeted and arrested criminal aliens who had been previously released from local and state law enforcement custody despite having lawful immigration detainers logged with local law enforcement officials.
In the Los Angeles-area, officers arrested nearly 100 unlawfully present individuals who had criminal histories that include homicide, sexual assault, sex crimes involving children, assault, robbery, domestic violence and DUI.
Officials did not offer any specific figures on how many people were arrested in the San Francisco Bay Area, though video released with the announcement showed a man being taken into custody at the Westlake Apartments in San Francisco on September 28.
