One of the 10 people highlighted in the Kansas Attorney General and Kansas Bureau of Investigation announcement Monday as part of an immigration and offender registry operation is currently housed in Chase County.
The Chase County Jail is holding Mexican national Diego Nevarez, listed by the Attorney General’s Office and KBI as being held on suspicion of distribution or possession with intent to distribute heroin. As of Tuesday morning, the jail roster says Nevarez is on a courtesy hold for an unspecified law enforcement agency.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and KBI Director Tony Mattivi say the KBI worked in conjunction with the US Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the arrests. The process began in June as part of the federal 287(g) program, which let certain KBI staff handle immigration enforcement matters under ICE supervision. Kobach says work on this effort actually began earlier in the year and reflects a longstanding federal policy.
Kobach says all 10 discussed Monday were on Kansas offender registries for violent, drug or sex offenses.
The KBI says it recently detained the illegal aliens as part of “targeted enforcement operations” revolving around “serious criminal histories,” including suspicion of second-degree murder, sex crimes against children, drug distribution and aggravated robbery.
