The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas announced the arrest of 78 criminal aliens during a 3-day “Operation Pick-Off” in the Texas border region. Federal agents collaborated with state and local law enforcement to conduct the roundup.
During the weekend of August 22-24, federal agents teamed up with state and local police to arrest 78 criminal aliens, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. The arrests included many illegal aliens who had previously been deported.
“For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties.”
Of the 78 arrests, 65 of the illegal aliens had previously been deported from the United States. If convicted for illegal re-entry after removal, the alien could face up to 20 years in federal prison before being deported again.
Prosecutors report:
The overall effort involved the arrests of 65 people who are allegedly in the country illegally after having been previously removed. The charges allege they were serving varying terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault.
“This operation reflects the strength of coordinated law enforcement at every level,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of Border Patrol – Rio Grande Valley Sector. “Through close collaboration, we successfully targeted and apprehended individuals who posed a threat to our communities and national security. This mission underscores our commitment to securing our borders and upholding the law through multi-agency operations.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp, San Antonio Office, added, “Today’s threats are too complex, too dangerous, and too widespread for any one agency to handle alone. That’s why the FBI joined forces with its law enforcement partners to launch a bold, coordinated strike. Operation Pick Off stands as proof of what that unity can achieve, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protecting our southern border.”
In addition to the FBI and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Operations agents joined in along with agents and officers from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, IRS, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like,” USA Ganjei concluded.
