IMMIGRATION ARRESTS JAMAICAN ON ACTIVE DETAINER

A Jamaican national with pending felony charges was arrested June 16 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers.

Najee Antonio Clarke, a citizen and national of Jamaica, entered the United States on June 17, 2010, at John F. Kennedy Airport, Queens, NY as a B-2 visitor for pleasure and was authorized to remain until Dec. 16, 2010, but failed to leave upon expiration of the waiver. He has current charges pending in New York and was released from ICE custody with an active detainer.

“ERO deportation officers are committed to enforcing the immigration laws set forth by our legislators. The city’s failure to honor detainers poses an increased risk to the officers and the community,” said Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York. “ICE shares New York law enforcement’s ultimate objective to protect public safety and we welcome significant modifications to the current NYC policy, which is needlessly granting criminals the opportunity to reoffend against the city’s residents.”
The Metropolitan Transit Authority Police Department (MTAPD) arrested Clarke May 6. Clarke was identified as a non-immigrant overstay by ERO deportation officers on May 7, and a detainer was lodged against Clarke with the Rikers Island Correctional Facility. Clarke was subsequently released on bail and the detainer was not honored.

Clarke was arrested June 16 outside the Queens County courthouse and is currently in ICE custody.

In fiscal year (FY) 2016, ICE removed or returned 240,255 individuals. Of this total, 174,923 were apprehended while, or shortly after, attempting to illegally enter the United States. The remaining 65,332 were apprehended in the interior of the United States, and the vast majority were convicted criminals.