BALTIMORE, MD — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a 27-year-old Afghani national convicted of assault earlier this year in Maryland , according to a statement released by the agency.

Javid Ahmadi was taken into custody by ICE officers on Monday in Elkridge following his conviction for second-degree assault in Anne Arundel County. The arrest comes amid continued immigration enforcement efforts targeting individuals with criminal convictions.

Ahmadi was originally apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol near San Ysidro, California, on Oct. 10, 2023. At the time, he was issued a notice to appear and released under an order of recognizance.

He was later arrested by the Anne Arundel County Police Department on June 19, 2024, on charges including second-degree assault, fourth-degree sex offense, and indecent exposure. He was convicted of second-degree assault on April 9 and sentenced to 11 months and 29 days, but the court suspended the sentence in full.

“This criminal alien offender…highlights the ongoing threat posed by individuals who violate our immigration laws and engage in serious criminal activity,” ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker said in a statement.

Ahmadi is currently being held in ICE custody as immigration enforcement proceedings continue. ICE stated that its Baltimore field office remains focused on the apprehension and removal of noncitizens who have committed crimes in the United States .

According to ICE, no additional charges or convictions were reported beyond the second-degree assault case, and his other initial charges were not addressed in the conviction.

The agency has not disclosed when Ahmadi’s next immigration hearing will be held.

Ahmadi’s case remains part of ICE’s stated priority to remove individuals who have been convicted of crimes while in the country unlawfully.