The Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a 25-year-old Indian, Manjot Singh, for his repeat offences and said that he will stay in the ICE custody pending his removal proceedings. The agency said that the list of his offences is long, including robbery, theft, criminal impersonation, assault and driving under the influence. He was arrested several times by local enforcement in the past few years but now he will be deported out of the country, the ICE said, making an example out of the Indian national. According to ICE, Singh was arrested earlier this month in the Seattle area through a joint operation involving multiple federal agencies, including ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle, Homeland Security Investigations Seattle, and U.S. Border Patrol’s Blaine Sector. He was initially booked into Whatcom County Jail before being transferred to federal custody. “Manjot Singh remains in ICE custody awaiting removal,” the agency said in a statement posted on X.Manjot entered the country illegally, the ICE said but did not elaborate when and how he entered the US. Singh’s apprehension is part of a broader US immigration enforcement effort under the Trump administration, which has prioritized deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records. ICE has emphasized targeting “the worst of the worst,” such as those with serious criminal histories, though non-criminals may also be detained in such operations. Authorities, including ICE and US Border Patrol, have criticized “sanctuary” policies in cities like Seattle, arguing that these policies allowed Singh to evade consequences for his repeated offenses, enabling him to remain in the community despite his criminal recordICE and Border Patrol officials have framed Singh’s arrest as a signal to repeat offenders, emphasizing that those who violate US laws while in the country illegally face arrest and deportation. Singh’s arrest is one of several involving Indian nationals in 2025. Other cases include Gurjeet Singh Malhi (arrested for possession of child pornography) and Jaspal Singh (arrested for assault with sexual motivation).
