Norwalk immigrant couple must be deported (AP c/o San Francisco Chronicle)

Norwalk immigrant couple must be deported

Thursday, October 2, 2008
Norwalk, CA (AP) --

An Indian man and his English wife who overstayed their tourist visas have lost a decade-long battle to stay in the United States.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement now plans to deport Jayantibhai and Indiraben Desai, who own a home in Norwalk and have two U.S.-born sons who are now adults.

ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice says the couple exhausted their appeals and courts have determined they have no legal basis to be in the United States.

The couple say they went to immigration officials in 1997, believing they would be granted legal residency. Last week, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it didn't have jurisdiction to review the immigration judge's decision ordering them to leave the country.

Deportee faces prison term for probation violation (Austin Post-Bulletin)

Deportee faces prison term for probation violation
10/1/2008 8:35:38 AM

By Tim Ruzek
Post-Bulletin, Austin MN

Gilberto Alejo-Ubaldo was deported to Mexico twice in 2007.

But the 22-year-old Austin man and convicted felon returned to the United States each time and traveled back to Austin.

After his last deportation in June 2007, Alejo-Ubaldo came in contact with law enforcement officials at least three times while in the country but was finally stopped and jailed in Austin last month, when he allegedly drove past a stop light in the city, leading a Mower County sheriff's deputy to stop him.

Despite his use of a false name, Alejo-Ubaldo, who said he never had been booked into the Mower County Jail, eventually admitted his real identity when officials found his old jail mug shot after searching for "Alejo" -- which is tattooed in black letters on the back of his neck. He has used at least two aliases, authorities say.

Alejo-Ubaldo, 200 Fifth Place N.W., Apt. A, is in jail awaiting re-sentencing today for violating probation on convictions of felony aggravated forgery and lesser counts of interfering with privacy and indecent exposure.

Alejo-Ubaldo admitted to the violations, documents show. He's to have a re-sentencing hearing within a week and is being detained until then.

Prosecutors want to impose a previously stayed one-year prison term for Alejo-Ubaldo from March 2007, which led to his first deportation. He was supposed to notify state corrections officials if he returned to the United States.

A probation report filed this month says Alejo-Ubaldo was deported March 21, 2007, and June 6, 2007.

The felony case stems from Alejo-Ubaldo getting caught with a razor blade in his pocket in November 2006 near a northeast Austin home, where he was peeping into windows at a woman and trying to get into the residence. A man at the home held Alejo-Ubaldo until police arrived.

It was the fourth time in a month Alejo-Ubaldo had prowled the home, a criminal complaint says.

A 17-year-old Austin girl also identified Alejo-Ubaldo as the man who exposed himself to her two weeks prior, after knocking on her bedroom window.

In May 2007, federal immigration officials apprehended Alejo-Ubaldo in Austin along with 19 other people in the country illegally. They listed Alejo-Ubaldo and two other men by name with their criminal history as examples of the people focused on in the search.

Tim Counts, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in the Twin Cities, said Thursday he doesn't have figures on how often deportees return, "but it's certainly not unusual."

Federal prosecutors, he said, could review Alejo-Ubaldo's case for possible charges for re-entering the United States after deportation, which could net him two to 20 years in prison.

Alejo-Ubaldo also faces charges from his Sept. 18 arrest, including giving a police officer a false name, driving after revocation and having no proof of insurance.

Omaha Immigration Sweep Targets Gang Members (WOWT-Omaha, NE)

Omaha Immigration Sweep Targets Gang Members

Posted: 10:47 AM Oct 1, 2008
Last Updated: 11:13 AM Oct 1, 2008
Reporter: Dennis Wilden
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

A special law enforcement operation targeting illegal immigrants with ties to violent street gangs has resulted in the arrest of 17 people in Omaha and Council Bluffs. The special operation took place last week between Tuesday and Thursday but results were only made available Wednesday, October 1st.

The 17 arrested include eight gang members and four gang associates of the MS-13, Sureños, Rebels and MBC gangs. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents also arrested five illegal immigrants with no known gang affiliation who were encountered during the targeted arrests. Sixteen of the arrests were in Omaha; one was in Council Bluffs. Eleven of those arrested have been convicted previously of crimes that include: assault, possessing narcotics and distributing narcotics.

Six of those apprehended have been referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nebraska, for possible criminal prosecution for a variety of offenses. One has been referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Iowa, for possible prosecution. Three of those arrested were previously deported. It is a felony to re-enter the United States after being formally deported punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.

ICE Gang Crackdown Reaches Into Southeast Texas (KFDM-Texas)

ICE Gang Crackdown Reaches Into Southeast Texas
ICE arrests more than 1,700 during largest ever nationwide gang surge; Four-month long Operation Community Shield initiative takes dangerous criminals off the street

October 1, 2008 - 11:03 AM

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today the arrests of 1,759 gang members and associates, criminals and immigration violators as part of a comprehensive law enforcement operation led by ICE agents. Law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local level partnered during this four-month long public safety surge, which ended yesterday, that targeted violent street gangs and their criminal associates in 53 cities across 28 states.

These arrests are the result of Operation Community Shield, a comprehensive initiative launched by ICE in 2005 to disrupt and dismantle transnational violent street gangs. Through Operation Community Shield, the federal government uses its powerful immigration and customs authorities in a coordinated, national campaign against criminal street gangs in the United States.

"Street gangs prey on the neighborhoods in which they operate and they instill fear through intimidation and violence," said Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for ICE. "By partnering with other law enforcement agencies across the country, we are successfully targeting these gangs, arresting their leaders, disrupting their operations, and putting their members and associates behind bars."

Of the 1,759 individuals arrested during the surge, nearly 1,500 were gang members, associates or those otherwise criminally charged -- including more than 30 percent with violent criminal histories and 17 gang leaders. The remaining individuals were encountered and arrested for immigration violations during the enforcement action and have been placed into removal proceedings. ICE agents arrested 730 individuals on new criminal charges ranging from attempted murder, aggravated assault and drug and firearms violations to charges of re-entering the country after deportation.

"Operation Community Shield and the 287(g) programs have assisted us in making great strides in combating gang activity in our community," said Major Ramone Gilbert, Hall County Sheriff's Department in Georgia. "With these programs, we have seen a decrease of over 200 gang members in our area in 2008."

"Although ICE rightfully has a responsibility to enforce the immigration laws of this nation, they also have responsibilities and goals which are common to the responsibilities and goals of my department. It is in this narrow area of mutual purpose that we have chosen to enthusiastically and unabashedly partner with ICE," said Chief Charles Everett, Union City Police Department in New Jersey. "As a result, Union City has benefited greatly from the manpower, resources, expertise and special enforcement powers that ICE brings to the table and this partnership has resulted in the arrest and detention of over 26 violent street gang members in the recent surge."

Transnational street gangs have a significant number of foreign-born members and are frequently involved in human and contraband smuggling, immigration violations and other crimes with a nexus to the border. Like any street gang, these transnational gangs also have a propensity toward violence. Their members commit a number of crimes including robbery, extortion, assault, rape and murder.

Among those arrested in eight Houston-area cities during the 2008 Operation Community Shield surge were:

- Socrates LOPEZ-Gonzales, 46, a Honduran National and leader of the Texas Syndicate street/prison gang, was arrested in Montgomery County, Texas. LOPEZ-Gonzales has an extensive criminal history for violations such as possession and delivery of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, retaliation. LOPEZ-Gonzales has been deported three times from the United States, and is currently pending sentencing after having been convicted of re-entry after deportation.

- Eduardo MORENO-Rivera a confirmed MS-13 gang member arrested and charged with 8 USC 1326, Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer, Possession of Crack Cocaine, attempted theft of a Peace Officer's Firearm, and resisting arrest. Has criminal histories California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, and Texas, for Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Theft, Assault on a Public Servant, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Has pled guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing. MORENO-Rivera has four (4) prior removals from the United States.

- Renaldy, MARENCO, 29, a Nicaraguan National and a member of "NICAS" Street Gang, who was arrested in Port Arthur, TX. MARENCO was convicted of misdemeanor charge of burglary of a vehicle. MARENCO was found to be in possession of a fraudulent green card and social security card.

Operation Community Shield partners with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to share intelligence on gang organizations and their leadership, share resources and combine legal authorities to arrest, prosecute, imprison and/or deport transnational gang members. In addition to MS-13, targeted gangs included Surenos-13, 18th Street Gang, Latin Kings, Bloods, Crips, and Vatos Locos to name a few.

Since 2005, ICE has arrested more than 11,100 members and associates from 890 different gangs and seized 388 firearms. Of those arrested, 145 were gang leaders. Many of those arrested under Operation Community Shield are prosecuted criminally and are eventually removed from the United States. To date, 3,997 have been charged criminally, and 7,109 have been charged with immigration violations and processed for removal.

Nationwide ICE Gang Investigation Nets 49 Area Arrests (WBBM-Chicago, IL)

Nationwide ICE Gang Investigation Nets 49 Area Arrests

Posted: Wednesday, 01 October 2008 11:36AM

CHICAGO (STNG) -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrests of 1,759 gang members and immigration violators Wednesday, part of a four-month nationwide investigation across 28 states.

In the Chicago area, ICE agents made 49 arrests during a four-day period in July. Of the 49 arrested in the area, 47 were members or associates of the following gangs: Brown Pride, Imperial Gangsters, Insane Deuces, Latin Kings, Norteños-14, Sureños-13 and the 18th Street Gang.

The majority of those arrested -- 42 -- had criminal histories that included convictions and arrests for drunken driving, drug possession, aggravated battery, burglary, theft and domestic battery, according to a release from ICE. All except for one Guatemalan were Mexican nationals, nine of whom had been previously deported

During the operation in July, Chicago ICE agents arrested Valentin Sierra-Martinez, 20, a Mexican national and confirmed Norteno-14 gang member, the release said.

Sierra-Martinez, arrested July 14 in Elgin, was the 10,000th gang member or associate arrested by ICE in Operation Community Shield since 2005. He was in the United States illegally and has an extensive criminal background including convictions for residential burglary, domestic battery, possessing drug paraphernalia and knowingly damaging property. He remains in ICE custody pending removal to Mexico.

Operation Community Shield is aimed at disrupting and dismantling violent transnational street gangs.

"We will not tolerate violent gang activity in our communities, and will use all of our law enforcement tools to thwart criminal efforts of street gangs," Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago, said in the release.

"Through the efforts and cooperation with ICE, the Elgin Police Department has participated in the arrest and detention of local street gang members,” Elgin olice chief Lisa Womack said. “We look forward to any opportunity to work with ICE to rid our streets of these individuals and make them safer for our residents."

Of the 1,759 individuals arrested during the surge, nearly 1,500 were gang members, associates or otherwise criminally charged, including more than 30 percent with violent criminal histories and 17 gang leaders, the release said.

The remaining individuals were encountered and arrested for immigration violations and have been placed into removal proceedings. ICE agents arrested 730 individuals on new criminal charges ranging from attempted murder, aggravated assault and drug and firearms violations to charges of re-entering the country after deportation.

Since 2005, ICE has arrested more than 11,100 members and associates from 890 gangs and seized 388 firearms. To date, 3,997 have been charged criminally, and 7,109 have been charged with immigration violations and processed for deportation.