MOBILE — A high-level team of seven federal officials released statistics at the Mobile FBI headquarters Friday after three and a half months of enforcement against illegal immigration in the Southern District of Alabama.
FBI, Homeland Security, and U.S. Marshal personnel told a news conference, “To say that we’ve been wide open would be an understatement.”
The conference was held below watchful portraits of President Donald Trump and FBI director Kash Patel, both looking serious-minded.
The statistics from the officials were indeed serious:
338 total attempted contacts
Three minors rescued
502 total arrests
Nine flagged as members of Venezulean gang
One U.S. citizen arrested for impeding
The enforcement efforts and the report covered the 13 counties of Alabama’s Southern District: Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, Washington, Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry and Wilcox.
Most of the arrests were made in the two largest counties of Baldwin and Mobile.
Local FBI chief Tim O’Malley said many arrested have serious criminal histories, including charges of manslaughter, assault, and gang activity. He said that nine of the 502 arrested have connections to Tren de Aragua, a dangerous Venezuelan gang.
Agents made 338 attempts to locate unaccompanied children, leading to three rescues.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama -- her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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