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ICE Announces Criminal Immigrant Roundup

WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- Dozens of wanted criminals are off the streets. Immigration officers targeted fugitives in the country illegally in a nationwide sweep.

Kai Jackson has more on the criminal crackdown.

Authorities say these arrests take nearly 3,000 illegal criminals off the streets.

Immigration officials provided WJZ with video of illegal immigrant criminals being busted in Baltimore. It's a scene that was repeated in cities across the country. Since Sept.17, 2,901 illegal immigrants have been arrested.

"The results are impressive. In the space of seven days, we arrested 2,901 criminal offenders from 115 different countries," said ICE Director John Morton.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency says it's making good on a promise that President Barack Obama made to crack down on criminal illegal immigration. In Maryland, eight jurisdictions were affected. Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Cecil, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties all saw arrests.

"More than 1,600 of the individuals we arrested...had one or more felony convictions...such as attempted murder, kidnapping, rape and aggravated assault," Morton said.

A total of 44 arrests were made in Maryland. ICE says 22 of the suspects had felony convictions and two were convicted sex offenders.

ICE says the men arrested will now be deported.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says her office and the Justice Department will review 300,000 deportation cases pending in federal immigration court.

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