Filipino and other deportees in shackles line up to board chartered plane in Seattle Washington for a flight home to their respective countries in Southeast Asia.

Among the 66 who had been convicted of criminal offenses while living in the United States, their crimes included homicide, felony drug trafficking and possession, rape and other sex crimes, aggravated assault, weapons possession, grand theft, and burglary. 

"This year, ICE expects to remove a record number of criminal aliens from the country and charter flights like this are a big part of making that happen," said ICE Director John Morton. "The United States welcomes law-abiding immigrants, but foreign nationals who violate our laws and commit crimes in our communities should be on notice that ICE is going to use all its resources to find you and send you home." 

ICE officers and medical staff with the Division of Immigration Health Services accompanied aliens on the flight. ICE routinely uses special air charters to transport aliens who have final orders of removal from an immigration judge. Staffed by ICE ERO officers, these air charters enable the agency to repatriate large groups of deportees in an efficient, expeditious, and humane manner. During the first 11 months of fiscal year 2010, ICE has removed over 350,000 individuals from the United States, nearly half of whom had criminal convictions.