NEW YORK, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A total of 29 teams with officers from several U.S. federal agencies have arrested 39 people, mostly in New York City and some on Long Island, in "the first and most visible display of force by ICE (Immigration Customs and Enforcement) in New York since President Donald Trump returned to office," The New York Times on Friday cited official source.

Trump's top immigration official, Kristi Noem, who was confirmed as homeland security secretary days ago, showed up to give agents a pep talk. She then joined them in body armor as agents arrested a Venezuelan man in the Bronx suspected of being a gang member, according to the report.

The teams worked off a target list developed by the Department of Homeland Security, which ICE is a part of.

Frank Tarentino, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's office in New York, one of the federal agencies involved in the raids, said that agents prioritized people charged with violent crimes, believed to be connected to gangs or involved in drug trafficking, and then worked through a tiered list of less serious offenders.

"The 39 arrests on Tuesday were higher than ICE's average number of daily arrests over the past two years in the New York City area, but it remains to be seen if the agency will be able to maintain or significantly accelerate that pace," the report said, adding that the multi-agency collaboration in New York would continue. Enditem

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