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U.S. Marshals Capture Over 800 Fugitives in Operation North Star

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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.


The U.S. Department of Justice announced an enforcement operation that resulted in U.S. Marshals arresting over 800 fugitives across the United States in an operation called “North Star.”

“The results of this operation should make clear that the Justice Department and our partners across the country will stop at nothing to find and bring to justice those responsible for violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The U.S. Marshals Service, and the entire Justice Department, will continue to work in partnership with community leaders and law enforcement professionals nationwide to protect our communities.”

“The U.S. Marshals Service has concluded Operation North Star II (ONS II), a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative aimed at combating violent crime in 10 cities with a significant number of homicides and shootings. This 30-day initiative resulted in the arrest of 833 fugitives, violent criminals, sex offenders, and self-identified gang members in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Buffalo, New York; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Oakland, California; and Puerto Rico,” the DOJ press release stated.

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“ONS II focused on fugitives wanted for the most serious, violent, and harmful offenses including homicide, forcible sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated assault. ONS II investigators prioritized their efforts to include individuals using firearms in their crimes, or who exhibited risk factors associated with violence. Throughout the month of January, the U.S. Marshals Service used its broad arrest authority and network of task forces to arrest individuals wanted on charges including 95 for homicide and 68 for sexual assault. In addition, investigators seized 181 firearms, more than $229,000 in currency, and more than 160 kilograms of illegal narcotics,” the release added.

“The U.S. Marshals Service remains steadfast in its commitment to assisting law enforcement and community leaders at all levels to combat violent crime,” said Director Ronald Davis of the U.S. Marshals Service. “The success of ONS II is based on its laser focus on the most significant drivers of violence. We are confident that apprehending these offenders will bring a level of justice to their victims and contribute to the overall violence reduction efforts in each city and hopefully bring a level of justice to their victims.”

In a separate case, the DOJ announced last month it had carried out a successful enforcement operation that took down a significant human smuggling operation in Texas and other parts of the southern United States.

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The operation, a part of Joint Task Force Alpha, included the arrest of eight alleged human smugglers.

“This human smuggling organization operated on an enormous scale, placing a high value on financial profit, while putting migrants’ lives at great risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “JTFA will continue to use all means necessary to pursue and dismantle criminal smuggling networks and protect the vulnerable populations they exploit.”

“At DHS, countering human smuggling is a moral imperative, a law enforcement priority, and a necessity for our national security,” said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “It is a central plank of our efforts to address irregular migration across the western hemisphere and to hold transnational criminal organizations accountable for perpetrating vile and horrific crimes. We are unwavering in our commitment, and sending a strong message: if you manipulate and imperil and take advantage of struggling migrants, we are coming for you. This investigation is a perfect example of how we’re bringing our agencies and components together to leverage the full force of the federal government to do just that.”

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“Human smugglers are criminals who do not care about human life,” said Deputy Commissioner Troy Miller of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “They lie to make money, convincing vulnerable migrants to hand over what is often their life savings in exchange for empty promises to get to the United States. Smugglers regularly abandon migrants in the desert or mountains with no food or water, leaving them for dead. CBP strives to be flexible, adaptable, and to think outside the box when it comes to disrupting these criminal organizations and protecting migrants from harm.”

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