A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation conducted between March 1 and March 5 led to the arrests of 2,059 convicted criminals, most of whom are now in line to be deported from the United States, the Dallas Morning News reported.

More than 1,000 of those nabbed by federal agents have been found guilty of a variety of felonies, including manslaughter, child pornography, robbery, kidnapping and rape. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldaña said at least 1,013 of them had multiple criminal convictions.

"These are the worst of the worst criminals," Saldaña noted. "These are not people we want out in our neighborhoods."

Previously, 476 individuals had been deported from the United States and subsequently returned to the country. Officials plan to charge 163 of them with "illegal re-entry after deportation," a felony that, on conviction, carries a prison term of up to 20 years.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security detailed some of the most notable arrests made during "Operation Cross Check." They include a Jamaican citizen who in 2014 was convicted of breaking and entering, larceny, speeding to elude arrest and assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon, as well as a Mexican national who the agency said was a "documented member of the Sureños criminal street gang."

The arrestees came from 94 different countries, CNN noted, and ICE officials focused on individuals Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson had identified as his department's enforcement priorities in November. In his memorandum, Johnson had enumerated people considered to be threats to national security, street-gang members, convicted felons and aggravated felons, as well as those previously convicted for three or more misdemeanors, including DUIs.

Last week's effort marked the sixth time Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted a nationwide "Cross Check" operation; the first such roundup took place at the end of May 2011, the Department of Homeland Security noted. Overall, the program has led to the arrests of 13,214 individuals, 12,440 of whom were convicted criminals.

Related