U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that its Enforcement and Removal Operations officers in Newark, working with the FBI and the Joint Organized Crime Task Force, arrested nine Chilean nationals in Jersey City and Princeton on Sept. 19. Officials said the individuals are connected to South American Theft Groups.
These transnational criminal organizations specialize in high-end burglaries and theft operations across the United States.
According to authorities, the Chilean nationals entered the U.S. legally but violated the terms of their visas by overstaying and committing crimes. Several of those arrested have extensive criminal records across multiple states, including theft, burglary, retail fraud, and credit card fraud. ICE said some also have outstanding warrants in Florida, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.
“We are committed to stopping transient criminal aliens who exploit our immigration system to harm American businesses and communities,” said ERO Newark acting Field Office Director Ruben Perez. “By working closely with our law enforcement partners, ICE is dismantling South American Theft Groups and ensuring those who break our laws face justice.”
FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy added that the arrests reflect ongoing efforts to disrupt organized theft rings targeting communities in New Jersey. “ICE ERO Newark has been a critical member of our Joint Organized Crime Task Force for many years, and that partnership continues to result in substantial arrests such as these,” Roddy said.
Authorities highlighted several examples among those taken into custody: a Chilean national wanted in Pennsylvania for burglary, another with an outstanding warrant in Florida for failure to appear after larceny and DUI charges, and one tied to multiple theft cases in Florida and Tennessee involving anti-shoplifting devices and fraudulent credit card use. ICE noted that names are being withheld due to the ongoing investigation.
Federal officials said SATGs are active in multiple countries and have increasingly targeted American communities with sophisticated methods of breaking into residences and businesses. The arrests in New Jersey are part of a broader federal push to dismantle these networks and remove those violating U.S. immigration laws.
