ICE nabs 7 at Danbury's state probation office (The News-Times)

ICE nabs 7 at Danbury's state probation office
By Eugene Driscoll Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/13/2008 06:33:33 AM EDT

DANBURY -- Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs detained seven illegal immigrants Tuesday at the state Department of Probation office on Main Street.
The individuals had all allegedly entered the U.S. illegally and were then convicted of a crime in the Danbury area, according to Michael Gilhooly, an ICE spokesman in Boston.
Gilhooly did not release the names of those detained Tuesday, but said there were six men and a woman. Five of them were from Ecuador, one from Mexico and one from Guatemala.
Four of the people had been convicted of drunken driving here, he said. The others had convictions for assault, disorderly conduct and forgery.
Entering the country without authorization is a civil offense for first-time offenders. It is not a criminal offense.
"They have been charged with an administrative violation of (federal) immigration law," Gilhooly said.
ICE will initiate deportation proceedings against the seven people.
"They will be served with charging documents and they will be detained pending their court hearing, at which time they will be able to present whatever information they have to an immigration judge (in Hartford)," Gilhooly said.
ICE works regularly with the probation office in Danbury -- and police -- to detain immigrants wanted by federal authorities.
"When you have individuals who are here illegally and then choose to break Connecticut law, it is a matter of public safety and to keep Connecticut communities safe," Gilhooly said.

Contact Eugene Driscoll
at edriscoll@newstimes.com
or at (203) 731-3332.