By Kirk Mitchell Denver Post Staff Writer
Recently trained Colorado troopers arrested 48 suspected illegal immigrants in a sweep along Interstate 70 on Tuesday near the Eisenhower Tunnel, officials said.
“That’s a good big number for us,” said Jeff Copp, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement district chief based in Denver.
It was the first roundup by Colorado State Patrol officers deputized by ICE to process suspected illegal immigrants.
In the joint operation between ICE and the State Patrol, three cars were stopped for traffic violations and a fourth was stranded beside the road, said Ron Watkins.
All of the immigrants who were detained were from Mexico, ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok said. An infant who is a U.S. citizen was with one family of illegal immigrants, Rusnok said. The baby was to return to Mexico on Tuesday, he said.The cars had as many as 15 people inside, Rusnok said.
State troopers began at 9 a.m. to look for possible illegal immigrants on I-70 between the Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_6511674