Jamaican with Minnesota murder conviction held in ICE New York enforcement sweep

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken a Jamaican man into custody during targeted enforcement work across the New York City metropolitan area. Mosiah Wright, who had an earlier murder conviction, was one of several immigrants detained in the sweep focused on people with criminal records and outstanding immigration breaches.

Wright had been removed from the United States before and later returned without lawful permission, according to the agency. ICE said the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota had convicted him of murder. The agency also noted prior convictions or arrests linked to unlawful concealed carry, drug possession, resisting arrest, and probation violations.

Immigrants from El Salvador, Ecuador, and Honduras were also picked up in the same operation. ICE said those detained included people convicted of offences such as murder, rape, sexual abuse of a child under 11, forcible touching, and sexual contact with a person incapable of consent.

"While sanctuary politicians continue to prioritise criminal illegal aliens over law-abiding New Yorkers, our officers are on the front lines every day keeping our communities safe from murderers, rapists and pedophiles that prey on our most vulnerable citizens," said Kenneth Genalo, field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in New York.

"Protecting New Yorkers from criminal illegal aliens will always be a priority for this office. We will never waver in our commitment to arrest criminal illegal aliens and remove them from our country," Genalo added.

ICE said its Enforcement and Removal Operations division identifies, arrests, and removes non-citizens who breach United States immigration law and, in the agency's view, threaten public safety. The sweep formed part of continuing efforts to enforce immigration rules and detain people with serious criminal histories in the New York metropolitan area.