Crackdown nets 350 immigrants in 2 counties
SAN DIEGO — Federal authorities have arrested more than 350 illegal immigrants in the last two weeks during the latest crackdown on serious immigration violators.
Fifty of those arrested in their homes across San Diego and Imperial counties have criminal records, including convictions for child sex offenses, robbery and drug violations, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
Others were arrested for allegedly ignoring final orders for deportation or on suspicion of illegally reentering the country after being deported.
The crackdown is part of Operation Return to Sender, a nationwide effort that has resulted in more than 18,000 arrests since its launch in May 2006, authorities said.
Most of the immigrants arrested in the last two weeks are Mexican, but the arrests also included people from 14 other countries, including Cambodia, Cuba, Israel, Thailand and Vietnam.
About 250 of the immigrants have already been deported. The rest are in deportation proceedings, said Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for the immigration agency.
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