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Immigration bust in West Michigan

Update 4:41p.m.:

77 people are in custody following a 4-day operation in West Michigan by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

Federal agents arrested the men and women in 7 counties; from Ludington south to Michigan, Indiana line. 

Khaalid Walls is with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Office. He says they were arrested for their illegal immigrant status, but a few, he says face criminal charges.

“The individuals that were arrested will either be immediately deported, will be held for federal prosecution, or have an opportunity to go before a federal immigration judge to make their case.”

Walls says the sting is pretty big for the West Michigan region.

It’s part of the Department of Homeland Security’s push to identify and deport undocumented immigrants with a criminal record.

12:55 p.m.:

The Grand Rapids Press is reporting that 77 people have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Officials said the arrests occurred in a "four-day enforcement project in West Michigan."

From the article:

Those arrested face deportation and criminal charges. The operation targeted the Grand Rapids area, with arrests reported in Kent, Ottawa, Kalamazoo, Berrien, Calhoun, Mason and St. Joseph counties.

Michigan Radio's Lindsey Smith is following up on this story.

Mark Brush was the station's Digital Media Director. He succumbed to a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in March 2018. He was 49 years old.
Lindsey Smith helps lead the station'sAmplify Team. She previously served as Michigan Public's Morning News Editor, Investigative Reporter and West Michigan Reporter.