Seventeen of those arrested had prior convictions for crimes, including possessing drugs, resisting arrest, drunken driving, illegally re-entering the country after deportation and criminal trespass, the agency said.

Three had been previously ordered to leave the country but failed to do so, while another three had been deported but had illegally re-entered the country, investigators said.

"(Enforcement and Removal Operations teams are) committed to making our communities safer by arresting and removing convicted criminal aliens and immigration fugitives," said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ICE ERO in Chicago. "By targeting our efforts on these egregious offenders, we are improving public safety while making the best use of our resources."

The arrests were coordinated with ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program.