SAN DIEGO, United States (CMC) — The United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says officers from its San Diego, California office have arrested two Caribbean nationals among four undocumented immigrants who are convicted child sex predators.

ICE said the immigrants, citizens from The Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico and Vietnam, were taken into custody following convictions for crimes against children, including sexual assault, molestation and rape.

Devin Richardson, a Bahamian, was convicted of sexual assault of minors and failed to register as a sex offender in California.

The immigration enforcement agency also said Walter Ramirez, a citizen of Cuba, was convicted of rape, drug-induced sexual assault of a minor and domestic violence.

ICE said all four immigrants were arrested in the San Diego area and remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings to their respective homelands.

“Make no mistake: these are predators who targeted the most vulnerable members of our community — children,” said Patrick Divver, field office director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) San Diego.

“Our officers will not allow dangerous criminals like these to hide in our neighbourhoods, especially a convicted sex offender who lived next to what appeared to be an in-home daycare and two blocks from an elementary school.

“By taking them into custody, ICE has removed an immediate threat to public safety and sent a clear message that child predators who are illegal aliens do not belong in our country,” Divver added.