ICE arrests 51 men in DC, Virginia in immigration enforcement sting operation

A major sting operation has rounded up dozens of immigrants breaking the law in our area. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said they have arrested 51 men in Washington D.C. and Virginia on civil immigration charges after a 6-day sting that happened from Sept. 18 to Sept. 23.

Officers said they were initially going after 75 people - all men considered priorities for arrest, according to Matthew Monroe, the assistant field office director for ICE.

He told FOX 5 that this particular operation was very successful because officers were able to capture so many of them.

"Some of them are here illegally, some of them have been ordered removed by an immigration judge and have not departed as they are required to do," said Monroe. "Others of them are here as permanent residents and they will go through the process to have that residency status taken away from them."

ICE said 47 of the 51 men arrested had previous criminal convictions, such as grand larceny, rape and driving under the influence. Three have pending charges and another one was wanted under an international arrest warrant called an Interpol Red Notice.

Twenty-three of the arrests happened in northern Virginia and Washington D.C.

The men captured were citizens of several countries including Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Indonesia, Guatemala, South Korea, Iraq, Jamaica, India, Pakistan and Jordan.