15 in Milwaukee Area Arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Fifteen convicted criminal aliens were arrested in the Milwaukee area during a two-day operation conducted this week by officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations.

The arrests ended on Wednesday.

All 15 arrested have been convicted of crimes in the United States and fall within ICE’s enforcement priorities for deportation.

Their convictions include: homicide by negligent use of a vehicle, strangulation and suffocation, battery, burglary, theft, domestic abuse, drug possession and drunk driving. The group also included three previously deported aliens.

Those arrested during the operation include:

A 37-year-old Mexican national with prior convictions for strangulation and suffocation, and battery. He was arrested January 13 in Milwaukee and remains in ICE custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge.

A 33-year-old national of Belarus with a prior conviction for homicide by negligent use of a vehicle for which he was sentenced to eight years in state prison. He was arrested January12 in Milwaukee and remains in ICE custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge.

A 53-year-old Mexican national with prior convictions for burglary, theft, and resisting/obstructing an officer. He was arrested January 12 in Milwaukee and remains in ICE custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge.

"Our immigration enforcement efforts are focused on arresting and removing convicted criminals from our communities," said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ERO Chicago. "When we focus our resources on the most egregious offenders, we immediately improve public safety in the Milwaukee area."

Following is the nationality breakdown of the 15 men arrested:  Mexico (13), El Salvador (1), and Belarus (1). Arrests were made in the following Wisconsin communities: Milwaukee (11), Brookfield (2), Menomonee Falls (1) and Wauwatosa (1).

ERO received significant assistance in the operation from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

In fiscal year 2015, ICE conducted 235,413 removals nationwide. Ninety-one percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.