NEWARK (CMC):
Maria Rodriguez (right), executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, speaks during a news conference, on Wednesday, in Miami. Immigrant advocates in Florida are planning a trip to Washington to rally behind President Barack Obama’s immigration programmes that allow millions of children and parents illegally in the country to avoid deportation.
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said officers from its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark Field Office have arrested several Caribbean nationals in an operation targeting sex offenders of children.
On Wednesday, the ICE said nationals from Cuba, the Dominica Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago were among 44 arrested in the ‘crimes against children’ operation in New Jersey.
ICE, which did not identify the nationals arrested, said the operation was part of its public safety efforts, and the individuals were convicted of various crimes against children. The individuals arrested throughout New Jersey were also nationals of Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Venezuela.
“The results of this targeted enforcement operation under-score ICE’s ongoing commitment to public safety,” said John Tsoukaris, field office director of ERO Newark.
“As part of this operation, we specifically focused on the arrest of individuals who took advantage of children,” he added. “Because of the tireless efforts and teamwork of ERO officers and our law enforcement partners, there are 44 fewer criminals in our neighborhoods.”
Those arrested range in age from 19 to 61, and were previously convicted of a variety of offences.
Some of the convictions included sexual abuse of a minor, criminal sexual contact of a child, luring or enticing a child, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual assault of a minor, child abuse, child neglect and indecent exposure.
