Those who are not being criminally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States.

Saudi, Jordanian, Iraqi and Lebanese citizens were among 74 foreign nationals arrested in an operation carried out by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across Michigan and Ohio.

“Those arrested had criminal histories with past convictions for drug trafficking, DUI, weapons violations, fraud, domestic violence, burglary and other serious criminal offenses. Four of those taken into custody were criminal aliens who now face federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison,” an ICE statement said this week.

Those who are not being criminally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States.

The arrestees who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country.

“Targeted immigration enforcement operations like this one highlight ICE’s ongoing commitment to strategically use agency resources to make communities safer,” said Rebecca Adducci, field office director for ERO Detroit, which covers Michigan and Ohio.

“These actions focus our resources on the most egregious offenders and promote public safety in the communities in which we live and work.”

The foreign nationals arrested during the operation include citizens of 18 countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Bosnia, Burma, Honduras, Ecuador, Bhutan, El Salvador, Jamaica, Iraq, Venezuela, Jordan, Ukraine, Pakistan, Lebanon, Zambia, Saudi Arabia, and Germany.

The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge, or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.

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