From St Lucia News Online

(CMC) – The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) says several Caribbean nationals were among 55 immigrants detained in New York during a six-day operation conducted by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

ICE said that ERO officers “targeted at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, and immigration fugitives during the operation,” which ended on November 20.

ICE said that among those detained were five Jamaicans and a Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana national.

It said that the other detainees were from Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Yemen, Bangladesh, France, Jordan, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Yemen, Serbia and Egypt.

ICE said of the people detained, Jamaican Cedric Marston, 41, had previously been removed from the country, was arrested by ERO deportation officers in Jamaica, New York, for immigration violations.

ICE said Marston was previously removed to Jamaica by the Immigration and Naturalization Service March 26, 1999, following a California felony conviction for possession of concentrated cannabis, for which he was sentenced to three years of probation.

On May 2, 2017, ICE said Marston was arrested by the New York Police Department (NYPD) on local charges. On that same date, ERO deportation officers lodged an immigration detainer with the NYPD’s Queens Central Booking.

However, ICE said Marston was released from NYPD custody, without the detainer being honoured and without notification to ICE.

It said also that 35-year-old Guyanese national, Dane John, was arrested by the NYPD on June 9, this year on local charges. On that same date, ICE said ERO deportation officers lodged an immigration detainer with the NYPD’s Brooklyn Central Booking.

But a day later, John was released from NYPD custody without the detainer being honoured and without notification to ICE.

On October 16, ICE said the NYPD arrested John again on local charges. It said John has an extensive criminal history, with prior convictions for kidnapping in the 2nd degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the 2nd degree (loaded firearm), and assault in the 2nd degree (intent to cause physical injury with a weapon), for which he served seven years in prison.

ICE said some of the individuals arrested during the enforcement action will be presented for US federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Those not being criminally prosecuted will be processed for removal from the country, ICE said, adding that individuals who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country.

“ERO deportation officers are committed to enforcing the immigration laws set forth by our legislators,” said Thomas Decker, field office director for ERO New York.

“Forty-two of the 55 arrested during this operation were released from New York custody with an active detainer, which poses an increased risk to the officers and the community.

“It is important for city residents to know that although the City of New York releases inmates with active ICE detainers back into their community, ICE will be diligent in its responsibility to find those who come to the United States to prey upon our communities and ultimately have them removed from the country,” he added.