Kosovo National Deportation Highlights Human Rights Violator Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has successfully deported a Kosovo national accused of participating in the Kosovo Liberation Army’s (KLA) persecution of ethnic Serbs. The individual, Halil Dacaj, made incriminating statements to immigration officials admitting to interrogating, beating, and handing over prisoners to KLA command for further punishment.
Operation No Safe Haven Success
Dacaj was arrested on August 11, 2015, as part of "Operation No Safe Haven," a broader initiative by ICE to identify and remove individuals who have committed human rights abuses abroad and sought refuge in the United States. His removal is considered a "high profile removal" due to his alleged involvement in severe human rights violations.
Key Takeaways
- Halil Dacaj, a Kosovo national, was deported by ICE for alleged persecution of ethnic Serbs.
- Dacaj admitted to interrogating and mistreating prisoners while part of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
- His deportation is part of ICE’s ongoing efforts to remove human rights violators from the U.S.
Entry and Removal Process
Halil Dacaj entered the United States on November 21, 1999, as a temporary visitor for pleasure, but used a fraudulent passport and visa. An immigration judge ordered his removal on December 9, 2003. The deportation was carried out by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, with Dacaj being handed over to authorities in Pristina upon arrival.
ICE’s Commitment to Justice
ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center actively investigates individuals who attempt to evade justice by entering the U.S. The agency is dedicated to tracking down and removing perpetrators of persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, and other atrocities. Since fiscal year 2004, ICE has arrested over 360 individuals for human rights violations and removed more than 780 such violators.
Sources
- Archived: ICE deports former Kosovo Liberation Army soldier accused of persecuting ethnic Serbs during the
Kosovo conflict, ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov).
