165 placed on immigration hold this year

The Huntington Beach Police Department has made inquiries into the immigration status of arrestees that has resulted in Immigration and Customs Enforcement placing holds on 165 suspected illegal immigrants in 2009, officials said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a branch of Homeland Security. The 165 arrestees with holds placed on them go through the criminal process, but are then taken into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deal with their immigration status, said Lt. Russell Reinhart.

The subjects are then usually deported to their country of origin, he said.

The suspected illegal immigrants were arrested for a variety of crimes, according to arrest information compiled from the Huntington Beach Jail, officials said.

The number-one crime committed by the arrestees was driving under the influence. Fifty-nine suspected illegal immigrants were arrested for DUI, 36 for drug sales, transport or possession, 19 for burglary or theft and 14 for outstanding warrants.

Eleven were arrested for assault or battery, eight for false or forged identification, four for receiving stolen property and four for disorderly conduct. Three were brought in for rape, two for auto theft, two for obstructing or resisting a peace officer and one each for kidnapping, stalking and felony vandalism.

Of the 165 people on immigration hold, 149 of them were male and 16 female.

The suspected criminals were predominantly from Mexico, with more than 150 suspects. Five were from Guatemala, two from El Salvador, two from Peru and one each from Honduras, Venezuela, Colombia and the Bahamas.

— Britney Barnes