28 arrested in ICE sweep

Dozens of illegal immigrants with suspected gang ties were rounded up across the suburbs this week and targeted for prosecution and eventual deportation.

The three-day sweep was the latest offensive in the 5-year-old Operation Community Shield program, in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents work with federal and local jurisdictions to target gang members illegally in the United States.

Of the 28 suspected gang members arrested, 26 had criminal histories. Twenty-five were Mexican nationals, one was a Honduran and one a Salvadoran, authorities said.

Among those arrested was Abraham Monroy-Perez, 27, of Elgin, a Mexican charged Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago with illegal re-entry after being deported in 2005. If convicted of the felony, he faces 20 years in prison - and then deportation.

Turned over to local authorities was Oscar Anicua, 19, of Mexico, who was arrested on three outstanding warrants in DuPage and Kane counties. He'll face local charges before being returned to ICE custody for deportation.

The operation also netted Carlos Gonzalez, 18, of Elgin, a U.S. citizen arrested on an outstanding state warrant for drug possession and turned over to local authorities.

The other 25 are in ICE custody and facing deportation; as policy, ICE does not release the names of people who are facing only administrative immigration charges.

Arrests were made in Chicago, Aurora, Elgin, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, West Chicago, Wheeling and Wood Dale, with officers from most of those communities teaming with ICE agents.

Elgin Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said the sweep was a good example of how his department is working with ICE.

"The Elgin Police Department will work with any federal agency that will help us in ridding the city of gang members and reducing crime," he said.

Operation Community Shield has produced 16,700 arrests of suspected gang members nationwide since 2005, with 200 of those classified as gang leaders.

• Daily Herald staff writer Harry Hitzeman contributed to this report.