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During a Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) operation in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), authorities say nearly a hundred people were detained — including a convicted child sex predator and a known Tren de Aragua gang member.
During the operation, ICE detained 94 people for further investigation and transport, according to a news release from THP.
ICE and several other federal, state and local agencies recently launched a weeklong immigration enforcement operation in the Houston area, which resulted in the arrest of 646 illegal immigrants. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
At ICE’s request, Tennessee troopers are continuing to support a coordinated public safety effort focusing on traffic enforcement, according to the release.
THP’s role is to observe driving behavior and conduct lawful stops based on violations of Tennessee traffic laws.
In the cases involving people who were found to be in the country illegally, ICE investigated separately, in accordance with federal laws.
ICE agents investigated the immigration cases separately from TSP. (Fox News)
“THP’s role is to enforce Tennessee traffic laws fairly and consistently, and our troopers continue to make lawful stops, based solely on traffic infractions, in an effort [to] keep Tennesseans safe,” TSP wrote in the release. “We do not enter neighborhoods or stop vehicles based on who someone is – we stop based on what they do behind the wheel.”
Less than a dozen troopers were assigned to the highly successful operation, according to the release.