Georgia ICE operation leads to 1,226 arrests, including 720 with criminal histories

Federal immigration officers arrested 1,226 people across Georgia during a recent statewide enforcement operation. 

ICE officials said 720 of those arrested had been charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States. The alleged offenses included sex crimes, crimes against children, assault, drug violations, burglary, weapons offenses and impaired driving.

The operation was called "Operation Safe Community — Atlanta."

Among those arrested was Fabian Pineda-Garcia of Mexico, who had prior convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and driving while intoxicated, according to ICE.

ICE also arrested Ivan Flores-Dircio of Mexico. The agency said he is a sex offender with convictions for sexual battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Five people were arrested at a trucking company that ICE said was known to employ people living in the country illegally. The agency did not identify the company in its release.

ICE said all 1,226 people arrested violated U.S. immigration law. Acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde said the operation focused on removing people with criminal histories from Georgia communities.

"Our officers did what they do best: they arrested and removed dangerous criminal offenders from American communities," Hyde said in a statement. "Removing these criminal alien offenders from Georgia neighborhoods makes for much safer communities, and that is exactly what the men and women of ICE work to accomplish every day across our great nation."

In July, ICE set a new monthly record high for detentions, according to internal agency data obtained by CBS News. The agency made arrests at airports, immigration check-in offices and many communities across the country. 

Last month, ICE took into custody more than 46,000 individuals facing deportation because of alleged immigration violations, like entering the U.S. illegally or overstaying their visas, according to preliminary Department of Homeland Security figures. 

ICE enforcement increased in July as the White House pushed the agency to make 2,000 arrests nationwide each day. It averaged about 1,500 daily and surpassed the roughly 43,000 detained in June. ICE was holding about 68,000 people as of the first weekend in August, nearing the record of more than 70,000 set in January.