21 immigrants all face deportation after arrests

A two-day sting targeting suburban immigrants with ties to street gangs resulted in 21 arrests this week, U.S. immigration enforcement officials announced Tuesday.

Of the 21 arrested, 19 were in the country illegally, officials said. The other two, both permanent residents, could face deportation. All were Mexican nationals.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Carpentersville police collaborated on the operation, which began Sunday night.

Sixteen of the arrests were made in Carpentersville. The rest occurred in Cary, Bensenville, Lake Zurich, West Dundee and Belvidere.

The arrests were part of "Operation Community Shield," a federal initiative aimed at eliminating transnational gangs.

Under the program, ICE officials team with state and local police to develop intelligence, disrupt gang ties and deport or prosecute gang members.

"We rely heavily on on-the-ground intelligence," ICE spokeswoman Gail Montenegro said.

ICE coordinated the roundup, while Carpentersville police provided intelligence and assisted in the raids, Carpentersville police Cmdr. Michael Kilbourne said.

West Dundee and Lake Zurich police said Tuesday they were not aware the raids had occurred in their towns.

Bensenville police said they contributed one arrest to the list.

They picked up Marco Diaz, 26, of 630 E. George St., Bensenville, after a traffic stop about 6 p.m. Monday. He was wanted on a battery warrant.

"We contacted ICE agents, and they came and picked him up," Police Chief Frank Kosman said.

ICE did not release the names of the others arrested.

According to immigration officials, 16 of the 21 arrested had known gang ties. Five were illegal immigrants they encountered during the operation with no known gang affiliation.

The immigrants were connected to crimes including drug possession, burglary, aggravated battery, arson, criminal trespass and obstruction of justice, ICE officials said.

An August crackdown, also part of Operation Community Shield, netted 58 suburban immigrants with known gang ties. It was the largest sting targeting foreign-born gang members in the Chicago region.

Carpentersville is one of at least three suburban law enforcement agencies to request training under a controversial federal program that allows local officers to enforce federal immigration laws. Waukegan police and the Lake County sheriff's office have also requested certification.

• Daily Herald staff writers Larissa Chinwah, Mick Zawislak and Kat Zeman contributed to this report.