Law enforcement officials in the Southern District of Texas have reported the apprehension of 78 criminal aliens during a three-day operation near the Texas border. Federal agents collaborated with state and local authorities to execute the arrests.
Between August 22 and 24, a coordinated effort led to the arrest of 78 criminal aliens, as stated by representatives of the Southern District of Texas. Many of those arrested were individuals who had previously been deported from the country.
“For those attempting to enter this country unlawfully and putting American citizens at risk, we are pleased to offer a federal facility and a one-way ticket home,” stated U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Gandhi. “We will continue these operations across all 43 counties in our district.”
Among the arrests, 65 individuals had earlier been deported from the United States. If these individuals are found guilty of illegal re-entry after removal, they could face sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison before another deportation.
Prosecutor’s report:
The overall efforts led to the arrests of 65 people accused of being illegally present in the country after prior deportation. The allegations include various outcomes of probation related to state offenses such as drug crimes, human smuggling, fraud, robbery, and assault.
“This operation demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement across various agencies,” said Jason E. Schneider from the Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. “By working together, we focused on apprehending individuals who endanger our community and national safety. This mission highlights our dedication to maintaining secure borders and enforcing the law through collaborative operations.”
FBI special agent Aaron Tap from the San Antonio office remarked, “Today’s threats are too complex and dangerous for any single agency to handle alone. This is why the FBI collaborates with law enforcement partners to launch a strong, coordinated initiative.”
Besides the FBI and Border Patrol, the operation also involved Homeland Security Operations Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, together with personnel from various agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the former U.S. Secret Service, ATF, IRS, and the Texas Public Safety Agency.
“If you’re in our community illegally and have committed a crime, expect us to pay you a visit—sooner or later.”
