Marcos Charles, Executive Associate Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement and Removal Operations, provided an update on Operation Metro Surge, outlining recent arrests in Minnesota and criticizing state and local officials for failing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

“Good afternoon. My name is Marcos Charles, as Greg introduced, I am the Executive Associate Director for ICE enforcement removal operations. Thank you for joining us,” Charles said as he opened his remarks.

Charles announced the current status of Operation Metro Surge and detailed arrest numbers since President Donald Trump took office.

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“We announced the current status of Operation Metro surge. As you know, the Department of Homeland Security has arrested over 10,000 illegal aliens in Minnesota, since President Trump took office over the weekend and through yesterday’s holiday ICE arrested 113 illegal aliens in Minnesota,” Charles said.

He went on to describe the criminal histories of several individuals arrested during the operation, referencing photos displayed alongside him.

“Some of the criminal aliens that were arrested whose photos you see beside me on the monitor include an illegal alien gang member from Laos with convictions for homicide and robbery, an illegal alien from Laos who has been convicted for sodomizing a 12 year old girl and sexual assault, an illegal alien from the Marshall Islands who has 24 criminal convictions, including assault, domestic abuse and theft,” Charles said.

Charles continued by listing additional arrests involving serious offenses.

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“There’s an illegal alien from Honduras, convicted of three DUIs, who has also been arrested for kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a stolen firearm, an illegal alien from South Africa convicted of violating a restraining order and arrested for domestic violence, assault, meth, possession and DUI,” he said.

He also warned that two sexual predators remain at large in the St. Paul area.

“We are currently also looking for two sexual predators who are at large in or around St Paul right now. Lou Mauah (sp?), a criminal legal alien from Laos who is wanted for sexually assaulting a child, rape, kidnapping and domestic violence and Kong Ming Bang (sp?), a criminal illegal alien from Laos who is wanted for sexual assault, gang activity and simple assault,” Charles said.

Charles urged the public to provide information to federal authorities.

“If you have any information about these two criminal illegal aliens or any other criminal illegal aliens, please call the ICE tip line at 866-DHS2ICE, or visit a website at ice.gov to submit a tip,” he said.

Turning to state and local cooperation, Charles said Minnesota officials have released hundreds of criminal aliens instead of transferring them to ICE custody.

“Since President Trump took office one year ago today, the state of Minnesota has released nearly 500 criminal aliens who were in police or state custody, rather than turning them over to ICE for removal proceedings,” Charles said.

He noted that many of those individuals already have final orders of removal.

“Many of these criminals already have a final order of removal, which means an immigration judge has determined that they have no legal basis to remain in the United States,” he said.

Charles said ICE currently has more than 1,360 immigration detainers lodged in Minnesota jails and prisons.

“ICE currently has more than 1360 immigration detainers on illegal aliens in Minnesota jails and prisons, and we are calling on Governor Walz and Mayor Frey to turn these criminal illegal aliens directly over to ICE to keep Minnesota residents in our community safe,” Charles said.

He argued that cooperation would reduce risks to the public and law enforcement.

“If local officials, including those in the Twin Cities, don’t want to arrest, don’t want ICE to arrest criminal aliens that are at large in their communities, the best solution is to turn them over to us in a safe, controlled setting, like a jail or prison, instead of releasing them back onto the street to victimize our neighborhoods where your children go to school, where your parents live, and where you worship, shop and spend time with your loved ones,” Charles said.

Charles concluded by emphasizing ICE’s mission and the purpose of the recent arrests.

“The holiday week, the holiday weekend’s arrests reflect ICE’s commitment to public safety and responsible enforcement. When criminal illegal aliens threaten the Twin Cities or any other city in America, we act decisively to remove them from the community in a controlled and lawful manner,” he said.

“Our goal is simple. We’re here to protect the American communities from people like the ones you see here on the monitor. Thank you,” Charles added.

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