Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a large-scale operation earlier this month in Los Angeles, detaining hundreds of individuals with serious criminal records, including a Korean American man.
According to ICE, the man, identified as Sung Park, a 52-year-old Korean American, had previously been convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
Over 1,000 Arrested Nationwide in One Week
The ICE operation in Los Angeles took place between May 4 and May 10, during which 239 individuals were apprehended. ICE described the action as part of its efforts to “enhance public safety.”
Most of those arrested were from El Salvador, Mexico, and Vietnam, with prior convictions for crimes such as aggravated assault, drug-related offenses, and rape of a minor.
The enforcement action was conducted jointly by several agencies, including ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service.
ICE Urges Self-Deportation Through CBP App
Following the arrests, ICE warned that undocumented individuals with criminal records residing in Los Angeles and nearby cities should immediately self-deport using an application operated by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), known as CBP Home.
ICE stated that nationwide enforcement actions are ongoing. In addition to the Los Angeles operation, raids took place in Houston (May 4–10, 528 arrests), Washington D.C. (May 6–9, 189 arrests), and Salt Lake City (May 5–8, 52 arrests). Combined, these operations resulted in the detention of over 1,000 undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records within one week.
Hotline and Warning Against False Reports
ICE continues to operate a reporting hotline and website for tips regarding undocumented individuals involved in crimes, including child exploitation and gang activity, at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form or 866-347-2423.
The agency cautioned that providing false information intentionally may result in fines or imprisonment under federal law.
BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
