The increased arrests of criminal immigrants is a “renewed commitment” that uses a “whole of government approach” to protect the nation’s communities and the homeland, Frank Tarentino, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s agent in charge in New York City, commented on Newsmax Sunday.
“It’s not just a whole of government approach utilizing all of the resources and tools available to us from the Department of Homeland Security, from the Department of Justice but also it’s a renewed and whole of government commitment to do more, to protect our citizens, to protect our communities, to protect the homeland,” Tarentino said on Newsmax’s “Sunday Report.”
“That’s the number one priority. That’s the biggest and most important thing that is on our radar screen right now. And that’s exactly what you saw play out over the last few weeks here in New York City but across the United States.”
The DEA has prioritized all of its drug investigations to focus on “those violent, illegal, criminal drug traffickers” and working with DHS has been able to identify a number of them and take them off the streets “in a very methodical and very strategic way,” said Tarentino.
“We have a number of ongoing investigations right now that are targeting many other gangs like MS-13 and we are working, as I mentioned earlier, with our partners from DHS to effect those arrests as soon as possible so that we can create this safer environment for our community and our citizens,” he said.
Even with sanctuary cities making it difficult to arrest immigrants while in custody, “there is nothing more important than our agents and our investigators going home safely every night, but enforcing the rule of law,” said Tarentino. “We take a lot of pride in professionalism in doing this in the most efficient and effective way, and we have executed that in recent weeks, and we will continue to execute that in the days, weeks, and months to come. This is not anything new for the Drug Enforcement Administration to target the most violent [criminals].”
But now, the agency has the full weight of the U.S. government behind its efforts, including with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem present during raids and arrests in New York City last week, he said.
“There is nothing more uplifting and nothing more incredibly reassuring to have that weight of the U.S. Government and the secretary with us joining with us in that clarity of purpose to go out and keep our community safe,” Tarentino added.
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