Latest news with #ImmigrationsandCustomsEnforcement
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge mandates ICE improve Manhattan holding facility conditions
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily ordered Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to improve conditions for migrants it detains in a federal building in downtown Manhattan. Civil rights groups raised alarm to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan about conditions in the facility, saying migrants were overcrowded, subjected to extreme temperatures and not provided sufficient access to medication and counsel. The Justice Department acknowledged migrants were only being given two meals per day and not provided with their medication or sleeping mats. But the government contested other accusations and argued the judge shouldn't intervene because there wasn't presently overcrowding. 'There seems to be quite a gap between the ICE standards, indeed, and what's really happening,' Kaplan said at a hearing earlier in the day. He ordered ICE to provide various items to the migrants upon request, including clean clothing, soap, feminine hygiene products, bedding mats, additional blankets, and access to medication and medical personnel. Migrants must also be given bottled water and a third meal if they want it. Kaplan's five-page ruling additionally mandates immigration officials set up dedicated telephone lines so migrants can call an attorney unmonitored within 24 hours of being detained. They must be allowed to make additional calls every additional 12 hours. The Hill has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. 'Today's order sends a clear message: ICE cannot hold people in abusive conditions and deny them their Constitutional rights to due process and legal representation,' said Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped bring the case, in a statement. 'We'll continue to fight to ensure that peoples' rights are upheld at 26 Federal Plaza and beyond,' Cho continued. The ruling lasts up to two weeks, and the judge is set to soon consider whether to grant a longer injunction. 'This is a first step, in my view,' Kaplan said at the hearing. 'And my conclusion here is that there is a very serious threat of continuing irreparable injury, given the conditions that I've been told about,' he continued. 'I have no enforceable way of assuring that any progress that, in fact, has been made won't backslide very quickly.' Kaplan is an appointee of former President Clinton. ICE has setup the holding facility in an office building at Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan. Civil rights groups have accused ICE of using it to support systematic arrests migrants who appear for immigration court proceedings in the building. At Tuesday's hearing, Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Oestericher said only 26 individuals were currently behind held in the facility, which consists of four rooms. The plaintiffs had said as many as 90 people were recently held in just several hundred square feet. 'Present conditions are relevant,' Oestericher told the judge. 'To the extent they are talking about overcrowding, it does not appear presently that there is overcrowding.' Oestericher said he didn't have firm numbers yet on the facility's recent history because of the fast speed of the case but he would provide that answer to the court. 'I think we all agree that conditions at 26 Federal Plaza need to be humane, and we obviously share that belief. I think there is some factual disagreement,' he said. Democrats have increasingly taken aim, too. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), whose district includes the facility, is suing the Trump administration over allegations he was unlawfully denied access to tour it in June. ICE personnel told him they weren't obligated to provide access because it is not a 'detention facility.'
Newsweek
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Proposed Green-Card Change Could Benefit 8 Million Immigrants
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat, introduced a bill he said could make it easier for 8 million immigrants to obtain a green card. Newsweek reached out to Padilla's office for comment via email. Why It Matters Immigration reform has stalled in Washington as Democrats and Republicans have struggled to reach consensus on what remains one of the most sharply divisive political issues facing the country. Immigration remains one of the most critical political issues, particularly amid President Donald Trump's mass deportations and increased immigration enforcement, which has drawn scrutiny from immigration advocates. Trump has said his administration would target criminals, but there have been reports about people without a criminal past being swept up by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids over the past few months. Padilla's office said his bill, if it becomes law, could provide relief to millions of migrants including Dreamers, people holding Temporary Protected Status (TPS), children of long-term visa holders, essential workers and highly skilled professionals. California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, speaks at a press conference in Washington on May 8, 2024. California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, speaks at a press conference in Washington on May 8, To Know Padilla announced the "Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929" last week. If it becomes law, the bill will amend Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, also known as the Registry statute, which allows immigrants who have resided continuously in the United States since January 1, 1972, to apply for permanent resident status. The new proposal would update that cutoff, creating a rolling eligibility period enabling those who have lived in the U.S. for at least seven years, without a criminal record and meeting existing requirements, to apply for a green card. "Americans know there's a better path forward than the Trump Administration's cruel scapegoating of hardworking immigrants and fearmongering of California communities," Padilla wrote in the press release. "We believe that if you've lived here for over seven years, paid taxes for years, contributed to your community for years, and you don't have a criminal record, then you deserve a pathway to legalization." However, the bill could face an uphill climb in Congress, which has struggled to pass immigration reforms in recent years. Republicans hold a majority in the Senate and the House, and it's not clear that Padilla's bill would have support from many conservatives who have generally supported more restrictive immigration policies. Unless Democrats win a veto-proof majority in the 2026 midterms, Trump could still block any immigration bill passed by Congress, even under Democratic control. Congress has adjusted Section 249 four times since it was enacted in 1929 but not since 1986. Padilla's office wrote that 8 million migrants would be affected by the bill, which would bring $121 billion to the U.S. economy and $35 billion in taxes. What People Are Saying Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in a statement released by Padilla's office: "Protections for these hard-working individuals are long overdue. It's common sense that immigrants who pose no safety threat and contribute to our country should be able to call America home with certainty; additionally, it's also common sense that the small percentage of undocumented immigrants who do commit violent crimes should be removed. Expanding the registry pathway to citizenship is a practical solution to provide stability to immigrants who have worked and contributed to our country for years." Elon Musk's America PAC, on X: "Democrat Senator Alex Padilla introduces legislation to grant amnesty to illegals and give them citizenship if they live in the US for over 7 years. They are now trying to codify what has been their plan all along — Importing new Democrat voters." What Happens Next Padilla plans to formally introduce his bill to the Senate. Debate and committee hearings are possible, though Republican control in both chambers creates a challenging path forward.
The Hill
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Fetterman: Any calls to abolish ICE are ‘inappropriate and outrageous'
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) continued to distance himself from the progressive wing of his party on Thursday with a social media post defending Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 'ICE performs an important job for our country,' he wrote on X. 'Any calls to abolish ICE are [100 percent] inappropriate and outrageous.' Fetterman's post comes as some Democrats have joined protests against ICE during President Trump's immigration crackdown and mass workplace raids. Several have been arrested, detained or charged in recent weeks over their tactics, which have included impromptu appearances at ICE detention facilities and at immigration court hearings. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair emerita of the Congressional Progressive Caucus who backed legislation to abolish the immigration enforcement agency in 2018, called ICE a 'rogue agency that doesn't follow the law and has zero oversight or accountability' in an X post on Thursday. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) recently faced backlash over a fundraising email renewing her calls for ICE to be dismantled. Asked about the push among some Democrats to eliminate ICE during an appearance on ABC's 'The View' on Monday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-N.Y.) didn't directly respond to the merits of the movement but reiterated his opposition to ICE's tactics. 'I definitely think that we need aggressive oversight as it relates to the overly aggressive behavior that we're seeing from ICE, from the Department of Homeland Security,' he said. Fetterman told NBC News last year that he doesn't consider himself a progressive. 'I just think I'm a Democrat that is very committed to choice and other things. But with Israel, I'm going to be on the right side of that,' he told the outlet. 'And immigration is something near and dear to me, and I think we do have to effectively address it as well.' After his post defending ICE on Thursday, Fetterman added in a follow-up message that he still backs immigration reform to protect people who are undocumented but are not dangerous. 'Absolutely support amnesty for the hardworking, otherwise law-abiding migrant workers,' he wrote. 'Round up and deport the criminals.' 'We must acknowledge the critical contribution migrants make to our nation's economy,' he added.
The Hill
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
ICE official says no plan yet on Abrego Garcia deportation
A senior Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official on Thursday testified under oath that the agency has not yet decided where Kilmar Abrego Garcia would be deported if he is released from criminal custody next week. 'We don't work cases not in ICE custody preemptively because our docket officers are worried about the cases they have now,' Thomas Giles, who manages ICE's 25 field offices across the country, told a federal judge. Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States last month after being mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March. He has been detained on human smuggling charges since his return, but he could be released ahead of his trial as soon as Wednesday. A frustrated U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered the government to produce a witness to provide answers about the next steps for the man, as his lawyers push Xinis to issue an order preventing the administration from swiftly deporting their client again. Xinis is an appointee of former President Obama. Giles finished testifying after several hours, but the judge has yet to hear the lawyers' legal arguments before she issues a ruling. The hearing will resume Friday morning, a court official told reporters. Giles testified that ICE has already issued an immigration detainer requesting custody if he's released, which is expected to be honored. That would enable the transfer to happen in a 'secure environment' within the Tennessee jail, Giles said. But until that happens, Giles said ICE does not determine how to proceed with an individual's immigration case. 'No decision has been made,' Giles said. The administration has outlined two potential options for deporting him. Officials could look to lift the 2019 immigration ruling protecting Abrego Garcia from removal to El Salvador, which was issued over gang threats to his family's pupusa business. Or, the administration may try to deport him to a country where he has no ties, known as a third country removal. 'It can be a few days to a few weeks' before the country is identified, Giles said. In their latest attempt to stave off Xinis from taking any action, government attorneys hours before the hearing agreed to abide by certain procedures before deporting him to a third country. But Abrego Garcia's lawyers said those guarantees don't alleviate their concerns. 'It leaves open the critical question of whether my client will receive effective notice and an opportunity to be heard in a court before he is removed to an as-yet unidentified third country,' attorney Jonathan Cooper said. The procedures provide two tracks. If a foreign government agrees to take in migrants and assures they won't face persecution, and the State Department finds the assurances credible, the migrant can be removed without any further procedures. Giles testified that is the situation for Mexico and appears to be so for South Sudan, where eight migrants with serious criminal records were deported on Independence Day. For other countries, the migrant upon raising claims of persecution is entitled to a credible fear interview with an immigration officer. Abrego Garcia's lawyers also raised concerns about where he would be held in ICE custody before any deportation. After his March arrest in Maryland, officials swiftly moved him to a Louisiana facility before deporting him to El Salvador. Abrego Garcia's lawyers want him returned to Maryland this time if he's placed in ICE custody. Giles testified the decision is made based on bed space availability, which changes every day, so there's no indication of where Abrego Garcia would end up. On cross-examination, Giles conceded he did not ask the relevant field office whether they had made any preparations given the high-profile nature of the case. And answering questions from the judge, Giles acknowledged ICE does have some discretion and may take into account the fact that Abrego Garcia still has a pending criminal case in Tennessee. 'It's a possibility it could be anywhere in the United States,' Giles said.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
In May, a Guatemalan crashed a van in Springfield. It was an ICE agent who called 911
SPRINGFIELD — When Noe Yolindo Ambrocio-Perez collided with a concrete pole in mid-May, an affidavit in federal court says he carried a Guatemalan identification card and had an open container of Modelo beer in the van he was driving. The collision led to both state and federal charges. While Springfield Police responded to the collision and arrested Ambrocio-Perez, 37, it was an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officer who saw the crash, called 911 and detained him until local law enforcement arrived. After a state judge released him on his own recognizance, ICE arrested Ambrocio-Perez days later. Federal prosecutors charged him in federal court with illegal reentry and have asked a judge for his continued detention. Ambrocio-Perez appears to not yet have an attorney for his federal charges and the criminal complaint says he was in custody of ICE since May 28. His initial court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, but the hearing was delayed a week because, according to the docket, 'The agents were unable to produce the defendant.' A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office did not return a request for comment. ICE records list Ambrocio-Perez as being detained at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. Ambrocio-Perez is just one of thousands across the country who are facing immigration charges. According a June report by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, the number of immigration charges in federal courts grew by 36.6% between February and March, the most recently available data from the organization. However, the number of immigration cases filed a few months ago do not begin to reach the number of immigration prosecutions seen during the Trump administration's first term, TRAC noted. The report also said most of the immigration cases have to do with illegal reentry, and prosecutors filed 2,062 illegal reentry cases in February and 2,482 in March. Ambrocio-Perez struck the concrete pole at 3:10 p.m. on May 15, near 305 Walnut St., a location just off a roundabout. Springfield dispatchers received the 911 call from a person who said they saw the crash and the white van striking the curb several times before the collision. 'The citizen identified themselves as a member of Homeland Security,' said Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh in an email. The person detained the driver until police arrived. 'We do from time to time receive 911 calls from both on and off-duty members of law enforcement when they see a crime committed,' Walsh wrote in an email in response to questions. The ICE officer, Marco Mancilla, went up to the van and saw Ambrocio-Perez trying to drive away, according to an affidavit filed in federal court to support a criminal complaint by Richard Coleman, a deportation officer with ICE. 'Officer Mancilla directed Ambrocio-Perez to exit the Van and detained him until the SPD officers arrived. Ambrocio-Perez provided a Guatemalan identification card to Officer Mancilla,' Colman's affidavit said. It could not be determined for this story why Mancilla, an ICE officer, was in the area and witnessed an accident involving a person previously deported multiple times. Police arrested Ambrocio-Perez for operating an unregistered motor vehicle, not having a license to operate a motor vehicle and having an open container of alcohol. (The beer was still cool, according to the federal affidavit.) Springfield Police took him to Mercy Medical Center and booked him around 10 p.m. An hour later, a court clerk released Ambrocio-Perez on his own recognizance, Walsh said. James Covington, a spokesperson for ICE, said the agency goes case-by-case in deciding whether to keep a person in its custody to face local criminal charges — or whether they initiate removal proceedings right away. Another factor: whether local officials cooperate with ICE, or whether the agency needs to send between eight and 10 officers to arrest a subject at large, he said. 'If a victim is created, we want to make sure that person faces justice,' Covington said. The local court released Ambrocio-Perez before ICE could take immigration enforcement action against him, Coleman's affidavit said. Almost two weeks later, ICE officers watched Ambrocio-Perez leave a residence on Oakland Street and get into a vehicle. They stopped the car and 'conducted an administrative arrest,' according to Coleman's affidavit. At the time of his arrest, Ambrocio-Perez carried a Guatemalan identification card and a MassHealth card. They brought him to an ICE facility in Hartford, Connecticut, to process him, the affidavit said. On May 31, Ambrocio-Perez said he did not want to contest the determination of Patricia Hyde, ICE acting field office director, when she authorized his detention and removal from the country, according to Coleman's affidavit. Ambrocio-Perez has a history of 'persistent flouting of the immigration laws,' according to a memorandum filed Monday by U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow arguing for his detention until trial. Over the years, federal officials deported Ambrocio-Perez four times, according to Breslow. If convicted on this reentry charge, he could face up to 18 months in prison. Breslow also said Ambrocio-Perez used a series of aliases over the years during his encounters with police and immigration officials. Among the encounters described, he pleaded guilty in Florida to driving without a license in 2015. Massachusetts State Police charged him in 2012 with drunken driving after they said he was driving in a dangerous and erratic manner. Police in Florida, Breslow said, arrested him in 2018 after he drove away from a collision. Read the original article on MassLive.
