More than 1,500 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Massachusetts, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons announced Monday.

Many of those arrested as part of "Operation Patriot" are accused of murder, drug trafficking, sex offenses and being fugitives from their homeland, Lyons said at a press conference.

"It's long past time to remove these dangerous criminals from their community," Lyons said.

Those arrested lived throughout Massachusetts and included a child sex offender previously deported living across from a playground, a sex trafficker arrested for raping a child, a habitual drunk driver who kidnapped a child and a person who stole from disabled senior citizens, along with rapists and murderers, Lyons said.

"When someone who is here illegally chooses to engage in crime ... these are not immigrants," U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said. "They are criminals, and they will be treated as such. ... This is the land of opportunity; not opportunists."

National Border Patrol Council VP Art Del Cueto said in an interview the operation was "fantastic."

"We have an administration that's taking it serious and actually going after the interior enforcement," Del Cueto said on FOX News. "This should serve as an eye-opener."