ICE Buffalo announced the arrest of a Ukrainian national wanted for drug trafficking, who had attempted to use U.S. immigration law to evade justice.
According to ICE Buffalo, the arrest highlights the agency’s ongoing efforts to identify, detain, and remove criminal aliens posing public safety threats. The Fugitive Operations teams collaborate with international partners such as INTERPOL to locate and apprehend fugitives hiding in the U.S. Anhelina Polishchuk, a 40-year-old Ukrainian national labeled armed and dangerous, was sought by Ukrainian authorities for major narcotics offenses. Her capture underscores challenges related to screening foreign parole entrants amid rising border and immigration enforcement concerns.
ICE reported that it removed or repatriated more than 142,000 individuals in fiscal year 2024, including thousands with criminal convictions or pending foreign warrants. Arrests through Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) have increasingly focused on high-risk fugitives such as traffickers and violent offenders, reflecting a 25% increase in public safety-related removals compared to FY2023.
Department of Homeland Security data indicate that over 270,000 Ukrainians entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole programs since early 2022. While most arrivals were lawful refugees, federal watchdog reports note that limited vetting capacity during emergency admissions created vulnerabilities exploited by individuals with criminal backgrounds, prompting calls for tighter controls.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), founded in 2003 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security. Its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division identifies, arrests, and removes noncitizens who violate immigration laws, prioritizing those who threaten national security and public safety. ICE operates in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement partners to uphold immigration integrity and border security across the United States.
