N.Va. immigration sweep yields 163 arrests

Published March 23, 2011 4:00am ET



A sweep by immigration officers led to the arrest of 163 foreign nationals in Northern Virginia, including 130 with criminal records, authorities announced Wednesday. The arrests come after a handful of high-profile crimes involving illegal immigrants in Northern Virginia. The sweep was conducted Sunday to Tuesday and resulted in 134 men and 29 women from 32 countries being taken into custody, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They were arrested on immigration violations, but 130 had criminal backgrounds, eight were fugitives wanted for immigration violations and three had previously been deported.

“For those who come here unlawfully and commit crimes at the expense of their neighbors and their communities, we will not rest until we find you and send you home,” ICE Director John Morton said.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.