White House "Confirms" Reports of ICE "Raids" Pursuant to Trump Executive Order
Monday, February 13, 2017
 | After a week of denying multiple reports from Congress, the press, and the pro-immigrant advocacy community that the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) component has begun to aggressively enforce President Trump’s interior immigration enforcement executive order, the President and his senior White House staff finally confirmed those reports on Sunday, February 12th. |
ICE’s Initial Denials. ICE spent much of the week last week denying that it had stepped up immigration enforcement activities in an effort to implement the January 25, 2017 interior immigration enforcement executive order signed by President Trump, and order that provides for a dramatic increase in the number of people targeted for enforcement and removal, as well as for a dramatic increase in detention. However, the evidence supporting the theory continued to mount throughout last week. By week’s end, ICE had acknowledged what it called an immigration “enforcement surge.” Nonetheless, it still insisted that the surge was a “routine” matter and not a product of the Trump executive orders. Moreover, ICE defended the “routine” nature of the surge by pointing to what it said were similar actions that were carried out at various times by the Obama Administration.
White House Confirmation of Actions. Even while ICE was contending that last week’s enforcement efforts were routine and had nothing to do with the President’s executive order, President Trump, himself, was suggesting otherwise.
White House Confirmation of Actions. Even while ICE was contending that last week’s enforcement efforts were routine and had nothing to do with the President’s executive order, President Trump, himself, was suggesting otherwise.
On Sunday, February 12th, President Trump tweeted:
| “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!” |
Later in the day, Stephen Miller, Senior Policy Advisor to President Trump seemed to confirm the President’s version of events, saying on Fox News Channel’s “Fox News Sunday” program, “right now, as a result of the President’s order, greatly expanded and more vigorous immigration enforcement activities are taking place.” He said that “this year, we’ve taken new and greater steps to remove criminal aliens from our communities.”
Continuing, Mr. Miller said, “I had a phone call yesterday from someone from DHS who talked about an immigration enforcement activity at 4:00 in the morning where a gang member was removed, a wife beater, somebody who was a threat to public safety with a long arrest record. But because they didn’t have the right kinds of convictions, they weren’t considered a priority by the previous administration.”
Mr. Miller added, “because of President Trump’s actions, innocent people are now being kept out of harm’s way. And we as a country spend too little time thinking about the effects of open borders on vulnerable communities.”
ICE’s Acknowledgment of Enforcement Actions. As previously noted, before the President’s Sunday morning tweet claiming credit for what he called a “crackdown,” ICE had spent much of the week denying anything out of the ordinary was happening at all. Finally, though, late in the day on Friday, February 10th, ICE acknowledged operations in six states: California, Georgia, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Notwithstanding that acknowledgement, reports from pro-immigrant advocates during the week noted unusual ICE activities in more than a handful of other states, including in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, and Virginia. Indeed, Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) said he confirmed with ICE’s San Antonio office that the agency “has launched a targeted operation in South and Central Texas as part of Operation Cross Check.”
ICE finally acknowledged the stepped-up interior immigration enforcement activities late on Friday, February 10th. It did so, in part, by putting out two Fact Sheets. One of the Fact Sheets summarized operations that it had conducted in three southeastern states. A second summarized activities that it mounted in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. But even while acknowledging stepped up activity in those areas, ICE insisted that its actions in these instances were “routine.”
Continuing, Mr. Miller said, “I had a phone call yesterday from someone from DHS who talked about an immigration enforcement activity at 4:00 in the morning where a gang member was removed, a wife beater, somebody who was a threat to public safety with a long arrest record. But because they didn’t have the right kinds of convictions, they weren’t considered a priority by the previous administration.”
Mr. Miller added, “because of President Trump’s actions, innocent people are now being kept out of harm’s way. And we as a country spend too little time thinking about the effects of open borders on vulnerable communities.”
ICE’s Acknowledgment of Enforcement Actions. As previously noted, before the President’s Sunday morning tweet claiming credit for what he called a “crackdown,” ICE had spent much of the week denying anything out of the ordinary was happening at all. Finally, though, late in the day on Friday, February 10th, ICE acknowledged operations in six states: California, Georgia, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Notwithstanding that acknowledgement, reports from pro-immigrant advocates during the week noted unusual ICE activities in more than a handful of other states, including in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, and Virginia. Indeed, Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) said he confirmed with ICE’s San Antonio office that the agency “has launched a targeted operation in South and Central Texas as part of Operation Cross Check.”
ICE finally acknowledged the stepped-up interior immigration enforcement activities late on Friday, February 10th. It did so, in part, by putting out two Fact Sheets. One of the Fact Sheets summarized operations that it had conducted in three southeastern states. A second summarized activities that it mounted in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. But even while acknowledging stepped up activity in those areas, ICE insisted that its actions in these instances were “routine.”
- Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina Immigration Enforcement Actions. ICE’s Fact Sheet on last week’s operations in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina asserted that “approximately 200 foreign nationals were arrested” during the week in those states.
- Southern California Immigration Enforcement Actions. ICE’s Fact Sheet on last week’s operations in southern California asserted that “approximately 160 foreign nationals were arrested in six Southland counties” during the week. It said that “of those arrested, approximately 150 had criminal histories” and that 10 “non-criminals” were arrested. It said that five of the “non-criminal” arrested had final orders of removal or had previously been deported.”
ICE contended that “many” of those arrested in its southern California operation “had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges, and assault.” It also asserted that “the arrestees included nationals from nearly a dozen countries” It said that 95 percent of those arrested in the operation were male.
ICE asserted that the southern California operation began on Monday, February 6, 2017, an concluded at Noon on Friday, February 10th.It said that the enforcement effort “involved 11 teams of ERO Deportation Officers, including those personnel regularly assigned to the nine Fugitive Operations Teams based in the seven-county area that falls under the jurisdiction of ERO’s Los Angeles field office.”
A Homeland Security official confirmed over the weekend that 37 of those detained by ICE in California last week have already been deported to Mexico. The official said that these individuals could be swiftly sent back because they ether had previously been deported or they had orders of deportation against them.
In both Fact Sheets, ICE says that the operations were carried out from Monday through Friday of last week and that they targeted “criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, and immigration fugitives.” It further maintained that, in both operations, “the majority of those arrested had criminal convictions”
The two Fact Sheets further asserted that “some of the individuals arrested during this operation will face criminal prosecutions by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after deportation” They also declared that “those not being criminally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States. Those who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge, or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.”
Both Fact Sheets declared that the week’s operations “ targeted public safety threats, such as convicted sex offender and known gang members, and individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who re-entered the country after being deported and immigration fugitives who absconded after being ordered deported by federal immigration judges.”
ICE acknowledged in both fact sheets that it had made collateral arrests during the operations. With respect to such arrests, ICE said, “During targeted enforcement operations ICE officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws. Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and, when appropriated, arrested by ICE.”
ICE pushed back against reports that it has conducted raids and roadblocks, asserting, “The rash of recent reports about purported ICE checkpoints and random sweeps are false, dangerous, and irresponsible. These reports create panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Individuals who falsely report such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.”
ICE has promised to release statistics and details on the enforcement actions on Monday, February 13th.
Congressional Reaction. Reaction in Congress fell along predictable lines, with Democrats condemning them and Republicans falling silent:
The two Fact Sheets further asserted that “some of the individuals arrested during this operation will face criminal prosecutions by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after deportation” They also declared that “those not being criminally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States. Those who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge, or pending travel arrangements for removal in the near future.”
Both Fact Sheets declared that the week’s operations “ targeted public safety threats, such as convicted sex offender and known gang members, and individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who re-entered the country after being deported and immigration fugitives who absconded after being ordered deported by federal immigration judges.”
ICE acknowledged in both fact sheets that it had made collateral arrests during the operations. With respect to such arrests, ICE said, “During targeted enforcement operations ICE officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws. Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and, when appropriated, arrested by ICE.”
ICE pushed back against reports that it has conducted raids and roadblocks, asserting, “The rash of recent reports about purported ICE checkpoints and random sweeps are false, dangerous, and irresponsible. These reports create panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Individuals who falsely report such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.”
ICE has promised to release statistics and details on the enforcement actions on Monday, February 13th.
Congressional Reaction. Reaction in Congress fell along predictable lines, with Democrats condemning them and Republicans falling silent:
- CHC, CAPAC, and Democratic Committee. The all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus condemned the enforcement actions. The Caucus Chair, Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) joined other members of Congress to send a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding a meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement Acting Director Thomas D. Homan to discuss the impact of what they called “recent nationwide immigration raids in communities across the nation.
Representative Lujan Grisham was joined by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Minority Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), House Judiciary Subcommittee on Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Ranking Minority Member Lucile Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force Chairman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), and Congressional Asian and Pacific American Caucus Chair Judy Chu (D-CA).
The letter states, “These raids have struck fear in the hearts of the immigrant community as many fear that President Trump’s promised “deportation force” is now in full-swing.” and continues by saying, “Without this guidance, our communities will be paralyzed as students will remain home from school, parents will be afraid to leave children alone and our local economies will be irreparably damaged.”
- Senator Dianne Feinstein. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) commented on the reports of stepped-up enforcement in California, saying, “I’m alarmed by reports of immigration enforcement in homes and workplaces in California. President Trump has already ignited widespread fear and confusion in our immigrant communities with his executive order and divisive campaign rhetoric. If the reports are accurate, these raids only add to the anxiety about what’s to come from this administration.”
Continuing, Senator Feinstein asserted, These reports show the serious consequences of the president’s executive order, which allows all undocumented immigrants to be categorized as criminals and requires increased enforcement in communities, rather than prioritizing dangerous criminals.”
The Senator concluded by declaring, “President Trump’s policy change betrays our values. Tearing families apart isn’t what this country stands for and I am working closely with local law enforcement, public officials and advocates to make sure that doesn’t happen in my state.”
- Representative Luis Gutierrez. Representative Gutierrez declared in reaction to the enforcement actions that “"The President wants to show off and it appears he has unleashed the Department of Homeland Security to kick-out large numbers of immigrants and anyone they encounter, without much oversight, review or due process.” Continuing, he said, "The goal of such policies is to inject fear into immigrant communities, frighten families and children, and drive immigrants farther underground. It damages public safety and the fabric of American communities while putting a burden on local social services and the foster-care system."
- Representative Lucile Roybal-Allard. Representative Roybal-Allard responded angrily to the enforcement actions, asserting, "I am outraged to hear of the recent ICE arrests in southern California. If the Trump administration is genuinely concerned about threats to American security, it should prioritize violent felons and others who pose real danger.” She said, as well, “My office has been working to get detailed information from ICE."
The Mexican Government’s Reaction. The government of Mexico on Friday, February 10th, warned its nationals living in the United States to "take precautions" and remain in contact with consular officials.
The Mexican government’s warnings came after Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a 35 year-old woman living in the Phoenix, Arizona area who had been in the United States for more than a decade and had been regularly checking in with DHS officials each year was arrested when she checked-in with ICE earlier this week.
The action drew widespread attention, prompting Mexico’s Foreign Ministry to write on Friday, “The case involving Mrs. Garcia de Rayos illustrates a new reality for the Mexican community living in the United States, facing the most severe implementation of immigration control measures."
Raids or Not? Pro-immigrant advocates and their congressional allies are referring to the stepped up ICE actions of the last week as “raids.” DHS and ICE have bristled at that description, choosing to call the operations “targeted enforcement actions.” Whatever one calls them, they are creating great angst in the immigrant community and there does not seem to be much that anyone can do to stop them.
The Mexican government’s warnings came after Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a 35 year-old woman living in the Phoenix, Arizona area who had been in the United States for more than a decade and had been regularly checking in with DHS officials each year was arrested when she checked-in with ICE earlier this week.
The action drew widespread attention, prompting Mexico’s Foreign Ministry to write on Friday, “The case involving Mrs. Garcia de Rayos illustrates a new reality for the Mexican community living in the United States, facing the most severe implementation of immigration control measures."
Raids or Not? Pro-immigrant advocates and their congressional allies are referring to the stepped up ICE actions of the last week as “raids.” DHS and ICE have bristled at that description, choosing to call the operations “targeted enforcement actions.” Whatever one calls them, they are creating great angst in the immigrant community and there does not seem to be much that anyone can do to stop them.