Latest news with #ICEEnforcementandRemovalOperations
The Hill
24-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
What powers do immigration officers have? Is Trump's ICE going too far?
ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations branch has primary responsibility for immigration enforcement in the interior of the U.S., which includes 'the identification, arrest, detention, and removal of deportable aliens.' The specific policies of Immigration and Customs Enforcement change whenever a new president is in the White House, but the statutory enforcement provisions have remained relative stable since the enactment of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. Reuters reporters Ted Hesson and Kristina Cooke claim that the changes under the current administration are due to White House demands to increase daily arrest statistics. The White House announced recently that it wants Enforcement and Removal Operations to triple the average number of daily arrests — an increase from 1,000 to 3,000. The reporters claim that community members and Democrats are pushing back against the administration's focus on increasing arrests, 'arguing that ICE is targeting people indiscriminately and stoking fear.' But is this really the problem, or is it that the current administration's policy is to arrest anyone found in the U.S. illegally? The previous administration's policy was to limit enforcement to aliens 'who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security and thus threaten America's well-being.' It would be more appropriate, however, to judge ICE on the basis of whether officers are complying with the statutory enforcement restrictions — and I suspect that few people know what these restrictions are. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations enforcement authority comes primarily from two sections in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 1226 provides that, upon issuance of an administrative arrest warrant, an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer may arrest and detain an alien 'pending a decision on whether the alien is to be removed from the United States.' Administrative arrest warrants are issued by officers. It also provides that an illegal immigrant can be released on a bond of at least $1,500, or on his own recognizance. Some criminal aliens are subject to mandatory detention. Section 1357 provides authority for officers to act without a warrant in specified situations. For example, an officer can question any 'person believed to be an alien as to his right to be or to remain in the United States.' Section 1304(e) requires aliens 18 years of age and over to carry specified immigration documents with them at all times. An Enforcement and Removal Operations officer can 'arrest any alien who in his presence or view is entering or attempting to enter the United States in violation of any law.' And perhaps the most controversial one is that officers can arrest any alien they have 'reason to believe' is in the United States unlawfully 'and is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained for his arrest.' The Fourth Amendment, meanwhile, provides that the 'right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.' A search is considered 'unreasonable' if there was a reasonable expectation of privacy in the area searched. A 'reasonable expectation of privacy' means that there is an actual (subjective) expectation of privacy, and the expectation is 'one that society recognizes as (objectively) reasonable.' Consequently, immigration officers are required to obtain consent or to have a judicial warrant to enter spaces that are 'not open to the public, including homes, schools, and areas labeled 'private.'' But Enforcement and Removal Operations officers do not need a warrant or consent to enter areas that are open to the public. Judicial warrants are issued by judges, not by ICE officers. Section 1357(g), also known as 287(g), permits the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to enter into a written agreement authorizing state or local law enforcement officers 'to perform a function of an immigration officer in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens in the United States.' ICE operates three programs with these agreements. The first is a Jail Enforcement Model 'to identify and process removable aliens — with criminal or pending criminal charges — who are arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies.' The second is a Task Force Model, 'a force multiplier for law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties.' The third is a Warrant Service Officer program that 'allows ICE to train, certify and authorize state and local law enforcement officers to serve and execute administrative warrants on aliens in their agency's jail.' DHS regulations govern the use of force. They provide that non-deadly force may be used when an ICE officer has a reasonable basis for believing that such force is necessary. 'Deadly force' is defined as 'force that is likely to cause death or serious physical injury.' This is only permitted when an ICE officer 'has reasonable grounds to believe that such force is necessary to protect the … officer or other persons from the imminent danger of death or serious physical injury.' I think the concern over the White House's call for Enforcement and Removal Operations to triple the daily arrest statistics is overstated. The administration is preparing appropriately to be able to handle the increase. It is going to hire 10,000 new ICE officers, in addition to a major increase in agreements with local authorities. As of April 2025, the administration had increased the program from 151 to 456 agreements. Nolan Rappaport was detailed to the House Judiciary Committee as an Executive Branch Immigration Law Expert for three years. He subsequently served as an immigration counsel for the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims for four years. Prior to working on the Judiciary Committee, he wrote decisions for the Board of Immigration Appeals for 20 years.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Annual Salvadoran festival in Montgomery County canceled over ICE raid concerns
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in a file photo from 2019. (Photo courtesy Immigration and Customs Enforcement) By Jose Umaña The D.C. region's largest Salvadoran festival — and one of the area's largest Latino heritage events — has been canceled due to fears surrounding immigration policies put on by the Trump administration. Organizers for Salvadoreñisimo Festival told WTOP the annual event, which was set to take place at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg, has been canceled for this year. It normally takes place in September around the time of Independence Day in El Salvador, Sept. 15, and Hispanic Heritage Month. Organizers told WTOP they did not want to put those in the audience in danger of possible raids from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The event welcomes thousands of people for musical performances, comedic skits and food. The festival was set to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year. The D.C. region is home to one of the largest Salvadoran populations in the country. The U.S. Census reports Salvadorans represents more than a quarter of the Latino population in Maryland and D.C. Local outlet Telemundo 44 was the first to report the event's cancellation. Concerts and events around the country have been affected because of immigration policies being pushed by the Trump administration. In April, Michelada Fest — a two-day music festival in Chicago — was canceled after performers experienced issues with visas. – As part of Maryland Matters' content sharing agreement with WTOP, we feature this article from Jose Umaña. Click here for the WTOP News website.
Boston Globe
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
In Massachusetts' island communities, sudden ICE arrests rattle Nantucket, Vineyard
The effect of the raid reverberated across the islands just as they were emerging into full summer thrum, and left even immigrants with citizenship and legal status feeling tense. 'We're the only Indians here,' said Uma Batta, 56, of Oak Bluffs. Her family, immigrants from New Delhi, owns a gift shop in town, and have been citizens for more than three decades. 'We are still worried. Who knows? We are brown.' Federal officials said two of those detained had criminal histories, but did not disclose their names, making it impossible to verify their records. Advertisement 'ICE and our federal partners made a strong stand for prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing illegal aliens from our New England neighborhoods,' said Patricia H. Hyde, acting field director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston. On X, White House press secretary Karolie Leavitt responded to a news story about the arrests: The news hit hard on Martha's Vineyard, where less than three years ago Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent a planeload of nearly 50 Venezuelan immigrants as part of a political ploy to dramatize the migrant crisis in his state. Advertisement Florida's so-called 'migrant relocation program' became the center of On Martha's Vineyard Wednesday, immigrants were shaken by the latest raids; a landscaper's eyes widened in fear when a reporter mentioned ICE. The landscaper, who does not have legal status and declined to give his full name, said he hopes to work for three more seasons before returning to his hometown of Espírito Santo, Brazil. State Senator Julian Cyr, who represents the Cape and Islands, said the action has left his constituents 'in fear, disrupted businesses of all kinds, and sent a chilling message to many residents who have lived, worked, and contributed to island life for years.' 'Please remember that it is immigrants who make your vacation possible,' the Provincetown Democrat said in a statement. 'Immigrants serve and cook your food, clean your beds, mow your lawns, take out your trash, and so much more. Most are here through employer sponsored visa programs, some are undocumented. All fill critical roles that are essential to sustaining our seasonal economy.' Dawn Holdgate, chair of the Nantucket select board, said Wednesday night 'there is a great deal of fear' on the island. 'That's all I've heard.' She added that local police were not involved in the Nantucket arrests. Governor Maura Healey said Massachusetts officials have received 'zero information' about the arrests and others ICE has conducted, and 'that needs to change.' Advertisement 'It was very disturbing, needless to say, to wake up to the news,' Healey said during an unrelated news conference at the State House. Healey said of the 40 arrests, she 'heard about two [who had] alleged criminal records' and that authorities 'were tailing people who are off to construction sites, to do a day's work.' 'It's one thing to go after and target those who have committed crimes, who are here unlawfully,' she said. 'You know, it's concerning when we see people, moms and dads, being ripped away from families, neighbors, co-workers taken away, literally, it looks like on the way to job sites in Nantucket and on the Vineyard.' The owner of a Rhode Island-based electrical contractor said Wednesday that two of his employees were stopped by federal agents in Martha's Vineyard on Tuesday. 'They treat the guys like criminals,' Thiago Alves said in a telephone interview Wednesday. He added the two workers have pending green card applications with the federal government and were released after proving their legal immigration status. Back on the islands, the news trickled among locals and visitors and alike. Familiar scenes of the tourism season unfolded on Nantucket, as crowds of sightseers popped into ice cream shops, cafes, souvenir stores, and bars in the island's quaint, cobblestone-covered downtown area. Some people had heard about the raids, others hadn't. Some were offended by the immigration action, others weren't. Seated on a bench on Main Street sat Robert Jepson, an 83-year-old retiree who has lived on Nantucket since the late 1960s. 'If you're illegally here, you should go away,' he said. Jepson referred to undocumented immigrants as 'aliens,' and wondered aloud whether a landscaping truck he saw pulled over earlier in the week was related to the raid. He was aware of ICE alleging that one of those swept up in the raids here and on the Vineyard was an MS-13 gang member, saying 'If you're MS, we don't need criminals here.' Advertisement Not everyone was of that mind. Dick Strutz, an 85-year-old from Fort Myers, Fla., said he felt for the immigrants detained. 'You and I have the right to be here, why don't they?' Strutz asked, seated outside a juice cafe on Main Street. 'They are the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich jumps all over them.' Claudia Morris, a 47-year-old shop manager of 'It's a Shore Thing,' which sells island and beach-themed knick knacks on Nantucket, acknowledged that some people are 'freaking out' in the wake of the raids. Morris is originally from Mexico and has lived on the island for more than 20 years. She said she's heard anecdotally that some immigrants are staying home and not going to work out of fear. Jack Cloutier, 32, has lived on Nantucket for 11 years, works in hospitality, and was angered when he heard about the raids. He found the federal actions to be 'pretty disgraceful,' saying that wealthy people treat the island as their playground, but immigrants are who keep Nantucket running. Many workers on the island are undocumented, he said. 'People are going to come here on their yachts and wonder why service is worse this year,' he added. 'It's because everyone will be hiding.' Matt Stout, Esmy Jimenez, and John R. Ellement of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Advertisement Samantha J. Gross can be reached at
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
One of Canada's most wanted fugitive captured in Georgia after four-year manhunt
The Brief Kamar Cunningham, one of Canada's most wanted criminals, was captured in Georgia after evading authorities for four years. He was involved in Project Patton, a major investigation by Toronto Police targeting firearm smuggling across the U.S.-Canada border. Cunningham was sentenced in absentia to nine years in prison for multiple firearms-related offenses and is currently awaiting extradition to Canada. BROOKHAVEN, Ga. - One of Canada's most wanted, accused of gun smuggling among other crimes, was captured last week in Georgia after four years on the run. What we know Kamar Cunningham, a 43-year-old Canadian national, was listed as 17th on the country's top 25 list of wanted criminals. He was previously convicted in Canada for firearms trafficking and possession of prohibited or restricted firearms. He was arrested in June 2018 as part of Project Patton, a major Toronto Police investigation targeting a criminal organization involved in smuggling firearms across the U.S.-Canada border. In November 2020, he was found guilty of multiple firearms-related offenses. However, he failed to appear for his sentencing in May 2021 and was sentenced in absentia to nine years in prison. On Tuesday, ICE officials posted a photo of Cunningham in custody. What we don't know Cunningham is currently being held pending extradition to Canada. There is no word on when that will happen. The Source The details in this article come from the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Atlanta and the Toronto Police Service.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
ICE nabs illegal migrant after blue city authorities drop home invasion, child abduction charges
An illegally present Honduran national was nabbed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after they said local authorities dropped a series of his charges, which included child abduction and home invasion. Agents with ICE in Washington, D.C., arrested Hyrum Baquedano-Rodriguez, 26, in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 2, officials said in a news release. "Though the court saw fit to drop his most recent charges, Hyrum Baquedano-Rodriguez has been convicted of numerous crimes in Virginia and represents a calamitous hazard to our Virginia residents," said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C., Field Office Director Russell Hott. Officials said his charges include abduction of a person with intent to defile and burglary, entering a house to murder, rape, etc. Fairfax County, Va., Repeatedly Released Honduran Charged With Sex Crimes, Ignored Ice Detainer Request: Feds "Every one of his convictions represents another one of our neighbors that Baquedano-Rodriguez has victimized. ICE Washington D.C. will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities," Hott said. Read On The Fox News App ICE officials said Baquedano-Rodriguez was first arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Aug. 25, 2018, after he illegally entered the United States near Yuma, Arizona. Baquedano-Rodriguez was then released on an immigration bond by a DOJ immigration judge in Eloy, Arizona, on Jan. 22, 2019. Fairfax County police arrested Baquedano-Rodriguez on Nov. 9, 2021, and charged him with three counts of indecent liberties, including exposing genitals to child and indecent exposure. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said his administration's top priority is "protecting Virginians." "Protecting Virginians has been a top priority of our administration since day one, and it should be a priority for every leader at the federal, state and local level," Youngkin said. "That's exactly why the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force is so important. I'm grateful to our law enforcement officers at every level for working hard to keep Virginians and Americans safe, and I'll always stand with them." Illegal Immigrant Released By Biden Admin Pleads Not Guilty To Murder Of Georgia Grandmother Homeland Security also confirmed the arrest and said Baquedano-Rodriguez remains in ICE custody. "MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: @ICEgov arrested Hyrum Baquedano-Rodriguez, an illegal alien, after a Fairfax County court dropped charges for abduction of a person with intent to defile and burglary. This child sexual predator will remain in ICE custody pending his removal," the department shared in a post on X. Officials said Baquedano-Rodriguez was convicted in September 2022 of entering property with intent to damage by a Fairfax County General District Court and sentenced to 18 months in prison and imposed restitution. Less than two weeks later, officials said the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court convicted him of disorderly conduct and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and he was sentenced to 12 months in prison for each conviction. Baquedano-Rodriguez was convicted again, officials said, in March 2023 of entering property with intent to damage by Fairfax County General District Court and sentenced to 12 months in prison. Then, in June 2024, officials said a DOJ immigration judge in Annandale, Virginia, ordered Baquedano-Rodriguez removed from the United States to Honduras. Twice-arrested Honduran Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Sex Crimes Apprehended A Third Time On May 2, 2025, the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court dismissed Baquedano-Rodriguez's charges for abduction of a person with intent to defile and burglary: entering a house to murder, rape, etc. However, later that day, officers with ICE Washington D.C. arrested him in Fairfax, Virginia, and served him with a warrant of removal. Baquedano-Rodriguez remains in ICE custody. This was not the first time a Honduran national with a criminal background was released by Fairfax County officials. Last April, Fairfax County repeatedly released a Honduran national charged with sex crimes and ignored an ICE detainer request. Immigration officials arrested the 30-year-old Honduran national at his residence in Bladensburg, Maryland, on April 15, after Fairfax County twice released him. "This Honduran noncitizen stands accused of some very serious crimes and represented a threat to the children of the Washington, D.C. area," ICE said. "When local jurisdictions have policies in place which prohibit them from cooperating with ICE ERO and from honoring our lawfully issued detainers and administrative warrants, they put the suspects, law enforcement officers, and most importantly, the members of our local communities at risk." ICE said that it was unknown when and where exactly the Honduran national originally entered the U.S. The agency said the man was arrested and released multiple times on charges of sex crimes with a child. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed to continue to "keep fighting every day" to secure the border. "100 days ago, I took an oath to serve this country as Secretary of Homeland Security. I will continue fighting every day alongside President Donald Trump to secure our border and keep American communities safe. This is just the beginning of the Golden Age of America. God bless this great country," Noem wrote in a post on X. Fox News' Stephen Sorace and Bill Melugin contributed to this report. Original article source: ICE nabs illegal migrant after blue city authorities drop home invasion, child abduction charges
