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Tag: criminals

West Virginia governor’s order leads to nearly 60 suspected illegal immigrant criminals detained

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday that about five dozen people had been detained within a day of ordering cooperation between Charleston and federal immigration authorities.

By midday on Tuesday, 58 people in the Mountain State were detained within the Regional Jail system pending verification of their immigration status.

More detentions are likely imminent, Morrisey said as he repeatedly pledged his full support for President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown.

Morrisey, a Republican, and only two weeks into his term, promised a further update on his administration’s operations on Thursday, saying West Virginia has good reason to take every step possible to quash the crisis besides the fact these people are allegedly in the country illegally.

WV LAWMAKER ARRESTED AFTER THREATENING TO KILL ENTIRE REGION’S DELEGATION OVER CAUCUS BEEF

Virginia leads the nation in drug overdose deaths-per-capita, and Morrisey said illegal immigration and cartel smuggling play a key role in that crisis.

“To be clear, our numbers may be lower than others in terms of illegal immigrants… but I’ve repeatedly talked about the impact of having illegal immigrants [who] bring deadly fentanyl into the state — that’s flooding in from Mexico [with] raw ingredients coming from China.”

The West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources recorded 1,389 drug overdose deaths statewide in 2023, down slightly from their peak at 1,537 in 2021. In 2001, there were only 212 such drug-related deaths among its estimated 1.75 million people.

“You’re going to find a Morrisey administration very cooperative with the Trump administration… It’s important for West Virginia because we have to stop this senseless death,” the governor said.

TRUMP, GOP CELEBRATE JOE MANCHIN RETIREMENT

Travelers are greeted by a West Virginia welcome sign after crossing the East River Mountain Tunnel on I-77 in Princeton. (Charles Creitz)

Morrisey praised Trump and said what the White House is doing is “absolutely correct.”

“We will take all appropriate steps to protect our citizens and work with the Trump Administration to crack down on illegal immigration,” Morrisey said in a separate statement to Fox News Digital.

The move received praise from other state officials.

State Del. Wayne Clark, R-Charles Town, called it “good progress” on both the illegal immigration front and the quest to curb the state’s drug crisis.

Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins said some of his officers also provided support to recent ICE operations in what is West Virginia’s second-largest city.

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“As a general practice, we always try to accommodate requests for assistance from any of our law enforcement partners,” he told Wheeling’s CBS affiliate.

The Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation confirmed in a statement that it is detaining suspected illegal immigrant criminals in its facilities at the urging of federal agencies such as ICE and the FBI.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

January 29, 2025
Leavitt on offense at first briefing, stressing Trump will deport ‘heinous’ illegal immigrant criminals

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that foreign nationals attempting to enter the U.S. illegally are not welcome under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“So to foreign nationals who are thinking about trying to illegally enter the United States, think again,” Leavitt told reporters Tuesday at the White House press briefing. “Under this president, you will be detained and you will be deported. Every day, Americans are safer because of the violent criminals that President Trump’s administration is removing from our communities.”

Specifically, Leavitt pointed to recent arrests that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted in January, including arresting a Honduras citizen convicted of rape and a Dominican Republic citizen with a criminal conviction for second degree murder.

TRUMP-ERA SOUTHERN BORDER SEES MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS PLUMMET BY OVER 60% AS NEW POLICIES KICK IN

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks at the daily briefing at the White House in Washington on Tuesday. (The Associated Press)

“These are the heinous individuals that this administration is removing from American communities every single day, and to the brave state and local law enforcement officers, [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] and ICE agents who are helping in the facilitation of this deportation operation, President Trump has your back, and he is grateful for your hard work,” Leavitt said.

Trump has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration during his campaign and declared a national emergency at the southern border following his inauguration. He also immediately ordered the expulsion of migrants without the possibility of asylum.

TRUMP ADMIN TOUTS PURGING ‘WORST’ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS FROM US STREETS: ‘WORKING TIRELESSLY’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to member of the press in the grounds of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 22, 2025. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images))

Leavitt also defended the Trump administration’s decision to issue a freeze on federal grants and loans on Monday — a move that prompted backlash from Democrats. Leavitt issued reassurance that those who receive individual federal assistance will not be impacted by the pause.

“I have now been asked and answered this question four times,” Leavitt said. “To individuals at home who receive direct assistance from the federal government: You will not be impacted by this federal freeze.”

Programs including Social Security benefits, Medicare, food stamps, welfare benefits and other assistance going directly to individuals will still continue under the pause, according to Leavitt. However, she said she would “check back” regarding the status of Medicaid.

INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING DIRECT ASSISTANCE WON’T BE IMPACTED BY FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE, PRESS SECRETARY SAYS

US President Donald Trump, watched by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaks to reporters while in flight on Air Force One en route Joint Base Andrews, on January 27, 2025. (Getty)

Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., claim the decision is an overreach of power and said it is an attempt to circumvent Congress and withhold congressionally approved funds.

“More lawlessness and chaos in America as Donald Trump’s Administration blatantly disobeys the law by holding up virtually all vital funds that support programs in every community across the country,” Schumer said in a statement. “If this continues, the American people will pay an awful price.”

“They say this is only temporary, but no one should believe that,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump must direct his Administration to reverse course immediately and the taxpayers’ money should be distributed to the people.”

Leavitt also unveiled major changes to White House press access, and announced that the Trump administration would restore the press passes for 440 journalists whose passes she said “were wrongly revoked” by the Biden administration.

“In keeping with this revolutionary media approach that President Trump deployed during the campaign, the Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room,” Leavitt said.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Kristine Parks contributed to this report.

Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.

January 28, 2025
White House press secretary says all illegal immigrants are criminals

The White House on Tuesday clarified that all the illegal immigrants arrested by federal immigration authorities in recent days “are criminals,” as far as the Trump administration is concerned.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was taking questions during her first press briefing since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last week when she was asked about the mass arrests.

“The 3,500 arrests that ICE (U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement) has made so far since President Trump came back into office. Can you just tell us the numbers? How many have a criminal record versus those who are just in the country illegally,” one reporter asked.

FIRST IMAGES OF ICE MASS DEPORTATION EFFORTS SHOW ARRESTS OF MS-13 GANG MEMBERS, MURDER SUSPECTS

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks at the daily briefing on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

“All of them, because they illegally broke our nation’s laws, and therefore, they are criminals as far as this administration goes,” Leavitt replied. “I know the last administration didn’t see it that way. So it’s a big culture shift in our nation to view someone who breaks our immigration laws as a criminal, but that’s exactly what they are.”

The reporter then asked if they all have criminal records.

“If they broke our nation’s laws, yes, they are a criminal,” Leavitt said.

TRUMP’S ICE RACKS UP HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR HORROR CRIMES

A suspected criminal alien is processed by ICE and Homeland Security Investigations agents. (ERO Atlanta)

Federal immigration authorities have arrested thousands of illegal immigrants, mainly targeting those with criminal records, since Trump took office.

On Sunday alone, ICE arrested 1,000 people and lodged 554 detainers.

A person is detained by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

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Border Czar Tom Homan warned that daily deportation numbers will rise in coming weeks as the administration expands its operations.

January 28, 2025
Blue state governor backs Boston ICE operations, supports ‘apprehension of criminals’

The Democratic governor of Massachusetts signaled her support for arresting criminal illegal immigrants, saying she supports “the apprehension of criminals in our communities”

Gov. Maura Healey told reporters on Thursday that she supports arresting criminals, regardless of whether they are undocumented or not, according to local news outlet WCVB.

Fox News witnessed ICE Boston making eight arrests this week, including multiple MS-13 members, Interpol Red Notices, murder and rape suspects, and a volatile Haitian gang member with 18 convictions in recent years who shouted that he “ain’t going back to Haiti” and “F— Trump, Biden forever!”

The arrests come as the Trump administration moves rapidly to fulfill its promise to launch a historic mass deportation operation, which it has said will focus primarily – but not exclusively – on public safety threats.

‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’: TRUMP DECLARES AMBITIOUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Bill Melugin embedded with ICE Boston and witnessed agents making arrests. (X/ @BillMelugin_)

Addressing the arrests, Healey said she “wouldn’t describe them as raids,” but instead, “what it seems to be, and what we expected and what I support, which is the apprehension of criminals in our communities.”

“Whether you’re documented or undocumented, you commit crimes, you’re subject to investigation and prosecution and accountability, and it looks like that is what happened,” Healey said, according to Fox local outlet, Boston 25.

Healey, who previously vowed to resist Trump’s deportation efforts in November, noted that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, despite a 2017 ruling by the state Supreme Judicial Court that severely limits law enforcement cooperation with ICE.

Healey said in November that her state police will “absolutely not” be cooperating with Trump’s mass deportation efforts, warning that she will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in the blue state.

“I still remain opposed on efforts to target large swaths of an undocumented population who’ve done nothing wrong other than they’re here without lawful presence,” she said.

TRUMP GOES TOE-TO-TOE WITH SANCTUARY CITIES OVER DEPORTATION AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN SET TO BEGIN

Gov. Maura Healey (Left) told reporters on Thursday that she supports arresting criminals, regardless of whether they are undocumented. (Fox News)

Healey has taken a slightly more centrist position on immigration enforcement in recent months.

After an illegal migrant was caught using the state’s migrant shelter system for illegal activity, Healey said she was “outraged,” She ordered a full inspection of the system and sent a letter to Massachusetts legislative leaders, urging them to amend the state’s “right to shelter” laws to exclude illegal immigrants.

At the time, she commented that Trump now has the opportunity to fix the border and said, “I hope he does.”

ICE ARRESTS MORE THAN 530 MIGRANTS IN ONE DAY AMID TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN

Democratic Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell speaks in Boston, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, however, continues to staunchly oppose the Trump administration’s crackdown.

She has taken to social media several times this week to express her anger over Trump’s immigration decisions, saying in one X post that “State & local law enforcement cannot be commandeered for federal immigration enforcement. Despite what President Trump may think, he doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally rewrite our Constitution.”

“State AGs won’t hesitate to respond if his threats become illegal actions,” she said.

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Bill Melugin embedded with ICE Boston and witnessed agents making arrests. (X/ @BillMelugin_)

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Meanwhile, Republican state Representatives Michael Soter and Kenneth Sweezey introduced a bill on Friday, titled “An Act to promote and protect safety in the Commonwealth,” which would empower local and state law enforcement to more fully cooperate with ICE.

“The immigration issue in Massachusetts has gotten completely out of control,” Sweezey said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. “This piece of legislation is a very simple, common-sense first step in rectifying part of the issue.”

Bill Melugin, Stephen Sorace and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

January 24, 2025