Many ICE Arrestees In New Jersey Have No Criminal Records: Report

Federal authorities claim that they’re targeting “criminals” as they carry out hundreds of immigration-related arrests in New Jersey. But according to a WNYC report that analyzed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest data from January to May, the numbers may tell a different story.

“In New Jersey, a stunning 44 percent of the 1,395 people arrested [by ICE] between January and the end of May had no criminal convictions,” the WNYC report claims. “That compares to 24 percent in the same period of 2016.”

Johanna Calle, program coordinator for the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, told a reporter that “the narrative that criminals are the priority isn’t real.”

Read the full report here.

There have been several high-profile ICE raids that have taken place in New Jersey so far in 2017.

In February, authorities from the ICE office in Newark apprehended one of the agency’s “Most Wanted Fugitives” in New Jersey. Authorities said that the suspect was a convicted felon and was wanted for sexual assault on a minor, felony sale of hallucinogen/narcotic controlled substance and felony failure to appear.

• See related article: Immigration Agents Arrest ‘Most Wanted Fugitive’ In New Jersey

In April, ICE officials confirmed that six people “involved in international gang activity” were picked up by agents in New Brunswick.

• See related article: Immigrants Arrested in New Brunswick Were In Gangs, ICE Says

In May, four Indonesian Christian men who previously were allowed to stay in the U.S. as long as they abided by the law and checked in with ICE regularly, were detained. The four men — Oldy Manopo, Arino Massie, Saul Timisela, Rovani Wangko — are Christians who fled Indonesia from religious persecution in the 1990s. They originally came to the U.S. on a tourist visa, which they overstayed.

• See related article: Highland Park Indonesian Christians Jailed By ICE, Reversing Long Practice

Later that month, a nationwide anti-gang operation led by ICE investigators resulted in 208 arrests across New Jersey, including dozens of immigration violations.

• See related article: 208 Busted In N.J. In Major U.S. Murder, Drugs And Gang Sweep

In June, ICE agents arrested 113 "criminal targets" during a four-day operation in New Jersey, according to federal officials. All the arrestees were previously convicted of a variety of offenses; some of the convictions included sexual assault on a minor, child abuse, possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics, robbery, trespassing, damage to property, DUI, crimes against person, fraud, sex offense against a child/fondling, threaten to kill and sexual exploitation of a minor.

• See related article: 113 'Criminal Targets' Busted In NJ Immigration And Customs Roundup, Feds Say

In June of 2017, man from El Salvador wanted on an ICE warrant for homicide gang activity was apprehended during a motor vehicle stop in Brick.

• See related article: Man Wanted On ICE Warrant Nabbed In Brick Motor Vehicle Stop

Also that month, ICE agents from the Newark office arrested two undocumented immigrants after they were released from the custody of Middlesex County. Both were facing criminal charges at the time of their arrest, authorities said.

• See related article: Newark ICE Arrests 2 Immigrants After Middlesex County Releases From Custody

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File Photo: ICE.gov