Latest news with #CARECEN
CBS News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
New York state Democrats inspect conditions for ICE detainees at Nassau County Jail
Some New York state Democrats visited the Nassau County Jail in East Meadow to inspect conditions Wednesday. The federal government is leasing space inside the jail for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees and reimbursing the county $195 per day per detainee. Under the partnership, detainees can't be jailed for longer than 72 hours. Nassau County says over 1,400 people have been held so far this year under a collaboration with ICE, and the county has set aside 50 jail cells for the agency to use. Bryan Perez, a Hofstra grad and paralegal, represents immigrants, like his own family, at CARECEN, the Central American Refugee Center. "People are being detained, they're being taken to the Nassau County Jail, and then afterwards, it's been very difficult to trace where they have gone to," he said. After saying they were initially denied jail access, lawmakers Michaelle Solages and Julia Salazar toured the ICE cells in East Meadow. "It's to ensure that there's transparency and accountability because this is a Nassau County facility," Solages said. "Individuals are in their cells. They were being provided with food." Conditions were good, they said, except there were no showers and detainees had no outdoor activity. The jail says that's because of the detainees' brief stays. Wednesday, 14 people were being held by ICE at Nassau County Jail. The lawmakers claimed they were only detained because they were not born in this country. "It's heartbreaking to see that Nassau County is being complicit in this," Solages said. "Even myself personally, I don't feel safe either. I'm an American citizen, but we've seen so far, too, that even American citizens have been detained, have been stopped," Perez said. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says they are cooperating with ICE because it makes Nassau safer. "In the majority of instances, there has been criminal activity, and that's why they are there," he said. "I can't say all because ICE does not share that information with us." Blakeman also believes, however, there should be a path forward for those who have been working here for years. "There should be a formula based on common sense and compassion," he said. Blakeman says after it was brought to his attention, showers will now be provided, but outdoor activity will not be because ICE detainees are not allowed to mingle with the general population.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE says 'workplace inspections' conducted at 100 DC restaurants
The Brief ICE has been conducting what they call "workplace inspections" at dozens of D.C. restaurants. They told FOX 5 their agents went to 100 restaurants on Wednesday, asking for employee verification forms. Restaurants have three days to provide the forms. No arrests have resulted from these inspections. WASHINGTON - Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents visited 100 restaurants and businesses in D.C. on Wednesday, conducting what they're calling "workplace inspections." While no arrests were made, it has put workers and businesses on edge as they wonder what the end goal is. What we know Federal agents have served dozens of inspection notices to restaurants and businesses in D.C. so far. No one has been detained as a result, leaving many questioning why ICE is coming to these businesses. FOX 5 was sent photos of federal agents conducting these enforcements in parts of the District on Wednesday. They're being done by Homeland Security investigations, which is a part of ICE. Federal officials are saying these are not raids. READ MORE: Law enforcement spotted in DC days after visits to restaurants in the area Local perspective Agents were at Chef Geoff's restaurant in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday. FOX 5 was told the DHS agents were polite and took about 10 minutes, asking for I-9 employment verification forms. These I-9 form verifications are standard but typically done in a much different manner with notice and usually through the mail. Chef Geoff's says that paperwork is managed at a different location so they'll be sent next week. The same thing happened at nearly a dozen other upscale and popular D.C. restaurants that we are aware of, including Millie's in Spring Valley. Surveillance video showed agents inside Tuesday afternoon. Another Northeast D.C. restaurant, Cynthia, posted on social media Wednesday saying they were also visited by agents. They, too, said the agents were polite, and no arrests were made. Still that hasn't assuaged their fear. READ MORE:ICE agents went into DC restaurants asking to see staff I-9 forms What they're saying "From what we've heard, they've come in delivered the letter and they've left so there hasn't been any incidents where they're arresting people in the restaurants at this time so when they say they're doing workplace enforcement that is correct, but the way they're doing it is done in a way to intimidate both the business owners and the community," said Abel Nunez, executive director with the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN). These types of workplace inspections are happening throughout the country by ICE right now. Advocacy groups like CARECEN have been reminding workers and employers about their rights. "The moment we told them about the operations people were afraid, we've seen less traffic, less delivery drivers on the road, some restaurants saying they couldn't open because they didn't have enough personnel," Nunez said. What's next No one has been detained during these workplace inspections and businesses have three business days to provide those employment verification forms.
