Spring Break
Fed-led sweep in South Texas captures 26 'child predators'
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Issue date: 7/29/03 Section: News in Brief
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Immigration agents began a sweep through Central and South Texas last week that has brought the capture of more than two dozen alleged "child predators," most of whom will be deported, officials said Monday.
The sweep, led by the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, focused on seven cities in its search-- San Antonio, Austin, Del Rio, Laredo, Harlingen, Brownsville and McAllen.
The effort, codenamed Operation Predator, was part of a nationwide initiative by the Department of Homeland Security targeting pornographers, prostitution rings, alien smugglers and others.
"Sexual predators need to realize that this nation will not tolerate the exploitation of children," said Tom Homan, interim associate special agent in charge of the bureau's San Antonio office.
A total of 26 people had been captured as of Monday afternoon, while authorities are still searching for more than 40 others.
A blitz Friday and Saturday yielded 25 of the arrests, and the last one came Monday in Austin.
At least 20 of those arrested are in the United States illegally, Homan said. He said they will be deported by administrative order.
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