Immigration sweep turns up 154 possible illegals

COLUMBUS (AP) -- Homeland Security agents arrested 154 suspected illegal immigrants from 30 countries during a statewide sweep.
Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in Boston, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Detroit participated in the effort last week.
Those arrested in the sweep had been caught entering the country illegally and never appeared at court hearings or had been ordered deported but never left the country, authorities said. Twenty of the detainees had been charged with crimes.
The raid was not provoked by any specific event, officials said.
"Sept. 11 showed us that, to have security, we have to have an immigration system with integrity," said Marc A. Raimondi, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman. "You can't have integrity if there is no consequence for abusing the laws or ignoring a court order."
Among those arrested, 72 people were deported to Mexico. Other were taken to the Seneca County jail.