Almost 1,200 illegals who were deported or ordered deported are arrested in California

Federal immigration agents recently targeted illegal aliens who ignored deportation orders, or those who had been deported and returned to the U.S. They arrested more than 1,150 people in California.

The raids ended Saturday and produced 436 arrests in the San Francisco area, 420 in the Los Angeles area and 301 in the San Diego area. Of the 1,157 illegal immigrants arrested statewide, 595 had outstanding deportation orders and 346 had prior criminal convictions.

'Individuals who defy immigration court orders to leave the country need to understand there are consequences for willfully disregarding the law,' said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers.

The most notorious case involved Jose Avila, 41, a Mexican national whose criminal history includes convictions for lewd acts involving a child and for battery. He was arrested September 15. After he is released by local authorities, Avila will be returned to federal custody for prosecution on felony charges of reentering the country after his deportation last year.