CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 600 illegal aliens were arrested in West Virginia by ICE and local law enforcement officers during a two-week surge earlier this month, the agency announced.
ICE Philadelphia led the statewide surge between Jan. 5 and Jan. 19. Teams were sent to Charleston, Huntington, Martinsburg, Moorefield, Morgantown and Beckley.
ICE said the people arrested “present dangers to national security and risks to public safety, as well as those who entered the United States illegally or have otherwise undermined the integrity of U.S. immigration laws and border control efforts.”
“This operation demonstrates how strong partnerships between ICE and West Virginia law enforcement agencies enhance public safety and the integrity of our immigration system,” ERO Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael Rose said in a news release. “By training and supporting our 287(g) partners across the state, we’ve expanded local capacity to identify, arrest, and process illegal aliens while ensuring these authorities are exercised professionally and consistent with the law.”
News of the surge comes as two anti-ICE protests are scheduled in West Virginia Saturday including the “Take Down The Tyrants” rally set for noon Saturday at the Memorial Fountain on the Marshall University campus in Huntington and the “ICE Out of Everywhere” rally set for 3 p.m. Saturday outside the U.S. Department of Homeland Security office at the Rock Branch Industrial Park in Putnam County.
ICE Philadelphia said the West Virginia surge included the arrest of a man identified as Sagar Singh, a citizen of India, who was allegedly operating a tractor trailer that was unsafe. ICE said it also arrested a Chinese criminal illegal alien Ling Yan, also known as Yang Ning. He had been previously convicted in Ohio of two counts of endangering the welfare of children. He had a final order of removal.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE last August on the 287-G programs, which trained law enforcement, military, and corrections leaders assist ICE with identifying and removing illegal aliens found in the state.
State Police Superintendent Col. Jim Mitchell told members of the House of Delegates Finance Committee earlier this month that since September, State Police troopers have assisted ICE with 250 arrests in West Virginia.
According to Mitchell, State Police has not made any mistakes to this point in the 250 apprehensions.
“We haven’t apprehended anyone who has not been in violation of the law. We couldn’t do that. We only apprehend those who are in violation of law. I know I can state that clearly for us,” he said.