Detroit, Michigan - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 79 in an enforcement action targeting criminal aliens and individuals who pose a threat to public safety last week. ICE officers made the arrests in the two-state region overseen by the Detroit office, which covers Michigan and Ohio.

Seventy eight of the foreign nationals taken into custody by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers during the enforcement action, which concluded Thursday, had prior criminal convictions, with the exception of one, who’s being charged federally with reentry after deportation. 

Nearly one third had criminal records that included felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges and drug violations. All of those arrested represented the agency’s two highest enforcement priorities.

“Operations like this highlight ICE’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing convicted criminals and public safety threats for apprehension and removal,” said Rebecca Adducci, field office director for ERO Detroit. “By arresting and removing these individuals, we make an immediate and tangible impact on public safety.”

While the vast majority of those taken into custody are originally from Mexico (53), 18 additional countries are represented, including Peru, Vietnam, Canada, United Kingdom, Philippines, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Laos, Bangladesh, India, Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, El Salvador, Cuba, Honduras, Haiti, Croatia, and Saudi Arabia.

Of the 26 counties where arrests occurred, west Michigan’s Kent County accounted for the largest number of apprehensions (21), followed by Franklin County in Ohio (15). Additional arrests were made in the following Michigan counties: Berrien (6); Van Buren (4); St. Joseph, Allegan, Cass, Kalamazoo, Barry, Ingham, and Lake Counties (2 each) and Gratiot, Mason, Branch, Clinton, Calhoun, Ottawa, (1 each). One arrest occurred in the following Ohio counties: Portage, Richland, Mahoning, Seneca, Summit, Huron, Lorain, and Mercer Counties. Five were arrested in Cuyahoga County.

Five of those detained during last week’s enforcement action are previously removed individuals who are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for felony reentry after deportation.