Lori K. Haley, public affairs officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s ICE, disclosed to Variety that two ICE divisions “have already been working diligently to address the agency’s enforcement priorities” in the CNMI.
The Enforcement and Removal Operations, or ERO, Haley said, is responsible for arresting, detaining and removing aliens who pose a potential threat to public safety. It also goes after immigration fugitives and foreign nationals who have obstructed immigration controls, she added.
ERO, Haley said, has been working closely with CNMI authorities in identifying criminal aliens and other “high priority” cases involving immigration violators for follow-up enforcement action.
ERO and the CNMI government will identify a facility where aliens charged with immigration violations can be detained locally while undergoing deportation hearings and waiting for removal.
The other ICE division, Homeland Security Investigations, or HIS, is tasked to probe crimes involving the illegal movement of people and goods in and out of the United States.
HSI agents, Haley said. have been collaborating closely with CNMI law enforcement agencies on a number of criminal investigations targeting locally based human smuggling and drug trafficking organizations.
Working with the Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Motor Vehicle, HSI agents are also identifying fraud rings.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial earlier said that his administration is concerned about the increasing number of “illegals” in the CNMI. He said there are about 3,000 of them and he wants ICE to enforce federal immigration law here.
Haley did not say how many immigration offenders and criminal aliens have been arrested and identified, but she assured that ICE, as the largest investigative arm of the DHS, plays a key role in promoting public safety and national security in the CNMI.
