ICE arrests 65 illegal immigrants during 4-day operation targeting ‘egregious offenders’ in Connecticut

The effort, dubbed Operation Broken Trust, targeted transnational organized crime, gang members, and “egregious offenders.” Of those arrested, 29 had been convicted or charged in the United States with serious crimes, including kidnapping, assault, drug offenses, weapons violations, and sex crimes. ICE also reported that several of the individuals taken into custody were gang members or had criminal histories in their home countries.

The operation was led by ICE Boston in coordination with the FBI, US Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“Sanctuary legislation like Connecticut’s Trust Act only endangers the communities it claims to protect. Such laws only force law enforcement professionals to release criminal alien offenders back into the very communities they have already victimized,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde in a statement. “The state of Connecticut is a safer place thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners. Working together, we were able to arrest 65 illegal aliens in just four days throughout Connecticut, many of whom had significant criminality in the United States.”

The operation comes just months after Connecticut expanded its Trust Act in May, which further restricted cooperation between state and local law enforcement and ICE. The law prohibits local officials from honoring ICE detainers.

“Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested are criminals and breaking federal law, but many of these individuals also victimized innocent people and traumatized communities — rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs,” Hyde said. “They all made the mistake of attempting to subvert justice by hiding out in Connecticut.”

Individuals arrested during the operation will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of their removal proceedings or deportation.