ICE conducts national operation to apprehend noncitizens who unlawfully re-entered US

WASHINGTON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) announced today the results of a national operation, during which officers apprehended 119 noncitizens who have unlawfully re-entered the United States after prior removals. The operation focused on apprehending noncitizens removed from the U.S. within the last five years pursuant to a final order of removal, who subsequently re-entered without authorization and have been determined to be a threat to national security, public safety, or border security.

“ICE is committed to the safe and effective enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws as our officers fulfill our important public safety mission,” said ICE Acting Director Tae D. Johnson. “This operation highlights the tremendous efforts of our officers to apply an organized and methodical approach to the identification, location, and arrest of noncitizens who are national security, public safety, or border security threats.”

During the nationwide operation, which occurred June 1-7, officers prioritized enforcement actions on noncitizens in accordance with the Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law issued by Secretary Mayorkas on Sept. 30, 2021.

Among those arrested, 110 have convictions for crimes including, but not limited to, aggravated assault with a gun, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, hit and run, drug trafficking, and child molestation.

ICE officers carefully evaluated individual targets on a case-by-case basis, assessing the totality of the facts and circumstances to make informed arrest determinations. Those cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO). ERO will also appropriately coordinate with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to evaluate completion of noncitizen application(s).

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, ERO conducted 74,082 administrative arrests of noncitizens, which included 12,025 individuals with aggravated felony convictions. Offenses associated with noncitizens arrested in FY 2021 included 1,506 homicide related offenses, 3,415 sexual assaults, 19,549 assaults, 2,717 robberies, and 1,063 kidnappings.

The operation follows the six-month anniversary of the implementation of the Department’s enforcement priorities and highlights the progress ICE continues to demonstrate in focusing its limited resources on cases of greatest importance to the national interest and public safety. Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 1-866-347-2423 or completing the ICE tip form.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-conducts-national-operation-apprehend-noncitizens-who-unlawfully-re-entered-us

NSW man charged over 10 terabytes worth of suspected child abuse material

A NSW man has been charged with multiple child abuse-related offences by the AFP and faced Gosford Local Court today (22 June, 2022).

The man, 55, came to police attention when the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received a report about an Australian user allegedly downloading child abuse material via a file sharing network.

AFP investigators allegedly linked the IP address to the man’s home at North Gosford in NSW Central Coast region.

The man was arrested during a search warrant at his home yesterday (21 June, 2022) where investigators seized a large volume of electronic devices which are now subject to further forensic examination.

The devices seized by AFP officers are suspected to contain about 10 terabytes worth of child abuse content. This amount of data is equivalent to about 520 million WhatsApp messages or 65 million documents.

AFP Detective Sergeant Jarryd Dunbar said accessing a video or image of a child being sexually abused is not a victimless crime.

“The re-victimisation of child sexual abuse victims occurs every single time these images and videos are accessed and shared,” Det-Sgt Dunbar said.

“The perpetual abuse of these victims will not be left uncovered or unchallenged and the AFP will utilise every tool at our disposal to shine a light on this offending and end the cycle of abuse.”

The man was charged with:

Four counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and

One count of using a carriage service to access material, that material being child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

The maximum penalty for these offences is 15 years’ imprisonment.

The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.

The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.

Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/nsw-man-charged-over-10-terabytes-worth-suspected-child-abuse-material