ICE arrests 17 immigrants in Kansas gang sweep

Eds: UPDATES with details about criminal past, comment from federal prosecutors, arrest numbers nationwide.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Immigration and police authorities have arrested 17 illegal immigrants in Wichita during an operation targeting foreign-born gang members.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Thursday it teamed with Wichita police to make nine arrests on Wednesday. Eight arrests were made earlier during the sweep's planning phase.

All the arrests involved Mexican men with criminal pasts that included convictions or arrests for involuntary manslaughter, assault, burglary, unlawful possession of drugs and firearms and battery, the agency said in a news release.

The men were allegedly members or associates of street gangs known as Kings of Destruction, Players For Life, Sureños-13, and the Vato Loco Boys.

Four cases were referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution of aggravated identity theft and illegal re-entry and eventual deportation, ICE said. All the men were placed into deportation proceedings.

No charges had been filed in those cases, said Jim Cross, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Kansas.

The sweep was part of Operation Community Shield, a national campaign by ICE to partner with state and local law enforcement authorities to fight criminal street gangs.

Since its inception, the program has been credited with the arrest of more than 12,500 street gang members and associates belonging to more than 900 different gangs, ICE said. More than 150 of those arrested were gang leaders and 2,272 were MS-13 members or associates.