Over 10,000 Illegal Immigrants Arrested In Los Angeles In Last 6 Months: DHS

Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Federal immigration authorities have arrested more than 10,000 illegal immigrants living in Los Angeles since June, the Department of Homeland Security said on Dec. 11.

The arrests include aliens with criminal histories, including those convicted of murder, kidnapping, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes, according to officials.

Officials underscored that their operations have been consistently undertaken amid assaults on agents by protesters who have thrown projectiles and firebombs, as well as attempted to interfere with agents in the middle of detaining suspects.

“In the face of violence from rioters and demonization by sanctuary politicians, DHS law enforcement has made over 10,000 arrests in Los Angeles since operations began in June. Some of the most heinous criminal illegal aliens arrested include murderers, kidnappers, sexual predators, and armed carjackers,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

She said that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass failed the people of California, alleging that the state allows criminals to roam free.

“Thanks to our brave law enforcement, California is safer with these thugs off their streets,” McLaughlin said. “Instead of thanking our law enforcement for removing criminals from their communities, Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass repeatedly demonized our brave law enforcement during these operations.”

Among the criminal illegal aliens arrested are Alireza Hashemi, from Iran, convicted of rape, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, and driving under the influence, according to the statement.

Andres Velasquez-Ocampo, from Mexico, was convicted of armed carjacking, vehicle theft, and vandalism, it said.

Juan Carlos Tamayo, from Mexico, was convicted of homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and multiple counts of attempted murder, it stated.

Ambartsoum Pogosium, from Armenia, was convicted of kidnapping, homicide, fraud, burglary, larceny, and forgery, it said.

Rene Reyes-Miranda, from Cuba, was convicted of a sex offense against a child, sex offender registration violation, harassing communication, cocaine possession, robbery, burglary, larceny, probation violation, property crimes, possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools, the statement said.

Akop Jack Kantrozyan, from Armenia, was convicted of identity theft, burglary, multiple counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, larceny, multiple counts of fraud, receiving stolen property, shooting at an inhabited dwelling/vehicle, possession of a firearm, grand theft of access cards, violation of parole, battery, and conspiracy to defraud the United States, it said.

Everado Garcia Martinez, from Mexico, was convicted of vehicle theft, armed carjacking, and amphetamine possession, according to the statement.

Jose Manuel Perfecto Hernandez Corrales, from Mexico, was convicted of possession of stolen property and attempting to import methamphetamine into the United States, it said.

Yonic Telles-Sosa, from Mexico, has been previously removed from the United States on five occasions. He received a final order of removal in 2013 and has been convicted three times of knowingly and unlawfully entering the United States, robbery, marijuana possession, and aggravated sexual assault of a child, it said.

Mohamed Chekchekani, from Kenya, was convicted of facilitating interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, larceny, stolen property, and drug possession, it continued.

During the operations, civil rights organizations, such as the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, filed a lawsuit in July alleging that raids violated constitutional rights.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order in July blocking arrests without probable cause, a ruling upheld by an appeals court in August despite DHS efforts to have it overturned.

California officials announced an online portal earlier this month so that the public can report suspected misconduct by federal agents, with the goals of documenting potential rights violations and providing legal support for illegal immigrants facing arrests and deportation.

A statement from Newsom’s office said that federal agents have broad authority to enforce federal laws, including federal immigration laws, but that they must do so lawfully.

“We’re not going to stand by while anyone—including federal agents—abuses their authority in California,” Newsom said. “This new portal gives Californians an easy and safe way to speak up, share what they see, and help us hold people accountable. No one is above the law.”

Agents faced an 8,000 percent increase in death threats since the start of deportation operations, according to DHS data.

In a June raid on illegal marijuana cultivation sites in Southern California, federal agents arrested as many as 75 illegal aliens, and at least one U.S. citizen was arrested for impeding law enforcement.