Do You Feel Safer? ICE arrests 27 during Dallas student-visa enforcement operation

DALLAS — Twenty-seven immigration status violators, visa overstays, and foreign students were arrested last week by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for violating the conditions of their visas. They were arrested by ICE HSI’s Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit (CTCEU) which is a national program designed to prevent terrorists and other criminals from exploiting the nation’s immigration system.

“One of the lessons learned from 9-11 was the importance of screening, tracking and enforcing the student visa program in the United States,” said Alysa Erichs, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Dallas. “ICE HSI oversees this important program, and our Dallas-area agents made these recent arrests as part of these enforcement efforts.”

Those arrested are from the following countries: Nepal (7), Kenya (6), Pakistan (6), Mexico (4), and once each for India, Kazakhstan, Peru and Turkey. They were encountered in the following north Texas cities: Arlington, Blue Mound, Dallas, Euless, Grand Prairie, Irving, Justin, Richardson, Plano and The Colony. They all were processed for immigration removal proceedings. In addition to their immigration violations, two of those arrested had falsely claimed U.S. citizenship, which is a felony and results in being permanently barred from legally re-entering the United States.

The 11-day operation ended Aug. 26. One of those arrested was a flight student who failed to attend his flight school. Twelve of those arrested overstayed their visitor’s visa; nine overstayed or violated the terms of their student visas. One exchange student who overstayed his visa was also arrested.

Do you feel any safer?

KJ