“Ensuring public safety is always of the utmost importance. And the enforcement actions highlighted here show that commitment,” said ICE ERO Seattle Field Director Drew Bostock.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle arrested an illegal migrant from China who was convicted of illicit drug manufacturing in the state of Washington. Jiewei Hu, 42, of China, was taken into custody on February 1 in Seattle. He was captured in a residential neighborhood while delivering packages for Amazon.
ICE ERO Seattle posted a video of Hu's arrest on X, which showed a shackled Hu being escorted by federal immigration authorities into a police vehicle. The Chinese national was wearing an Amazon uniform vest at the time of his arrest.
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View on XOn October 23, 2019, court records show that Hu pleaded guilty to two counts of manufacturing a controlled substance and one count of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison followed by 12 months of supervised probation. According to court filings, Hu had an illicit marijuana grow operation in Lewis County, Washington. He was convicted by the Superior Court of the state of Washington.
Amazon has not responded publicly to Hu's arrest, and The Post Millennial reached out for comment. Community members have questioned how the Chinese national was permitted to work for a company despite his criminal convictions and immigration status. It's unclear if Hu was employed by Amazon or a third-party agency.
ICE ERO Seattle Field Office Director Drew Bostock said in a press release: "Ensuring public safety is always of the utmost importance. And the enforcement actions highlighted here show that commitment."
Furthermore, the federal immigration agency announced a series of additional recent arrests, all of which occurred in the so-called sanctuary city of Seattle.
Jorge Antonio Maradiaga, 45, of El Salvador, was arrested by ICE on February 8. According to court records, Maradiaga was arrested on probable cause for commercial sex abuse of a minor on September 20, 2023. He received official charges for the crime on November 22, 2023, and was booked into King County Jail. However, he was quickly released on low bail by King County Judge Michael Scott.
Maradiaga had a criminal trial scheduled for April 10, 2025, before ICE took him into custody. He was also able to obtain a Washington state driver's license.
Jorge Antonio Maradiaga, 45, of El Salvador, was arrested by ICE on February 8, 2025. Photo courtesy: ICE ERO Seattle
Maradiaga was able to obtain a Washington state driver's license
ICE Seattle also captured Shakhrukn Atakhojayev, 33, of Kazakhstan. The federal agency said he was unlawfully present in the United States and is considered to be a "threat to public safety." There are no state court records available for Atakhojayev. He was taken into custody on February 8.
Shakhrukn Atakhojayev, 33, of Kazakhstan, was taken into custody on February 8, 2025. Photo courtesy: ICE ERO Seattle
Since the Trump administration launched mass deportation operations on January 20, ICE Seattle has arrested numerous individuals unlawfully in the US. On February 11, officers captured an El Salvadoran "hitman" wanted in his home country for kidnapping and homicide. The agency has also arrested several illegal migrants convicted and charged with serious offenses, including child rape, sexual battery, assault with sexual motivation, and assault with deadly weapons.
Members of the public can report immigration-related crimes or suspicious activity by calling (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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