U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested three undocumented foreign nationals during an enforcement operation in Northern Virginia on April 21, the agency announced Friday.
The operation was carried out in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). The arrests were part of routine daily enforcement efforts by ICE’s Washington, D.C. Field Office.
Among those apprehended was a Salvadoran national with prior drug convictions and a second Salvadoran national present in the country unlawfully. Authorities also arrested Eric Sumo, a 51-year-old Liberian national wanted in his home country for document fraud, including the possession and manufacture of fraudulent U.S. visas.
Additionally, ICE confirmed the earlier arrest of Camilo Cesar Gonzales-Encalada, 23, a Spanish national and member of the Sureños gang, whose criminal history includes convictions for assault and illegal firearm and drug possession. He was taken into custody by ICE officers in New York on April 6.
Multi-agency cooperation targets criminal immigration offenders
“ICE Washington, D.C. takes our commitment to public safety very seriously,” said Russell Hott, Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Washington, D.C. “We will continue our mission to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from our neighborhoods.”
ICE did not disclose where the individuals were detained or whether removal proceedings have been initiated.
The agency emphasized its ongoing focus on identifying and removing individuals who pose a threat to public safety, particularly those with prior criminal histories.