Latest news with #Schrank
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Homeland Security official says immigration roundups happening faster than ever before
Homeland Security says they detained several people in South Fulton County on Monday who they said are in this country illegally. Homeland security agents say they have the lawful authority to do this and have always been on the books. They say agents just couldn't do their jobs because they didn't have support from government leaders. 'Today is just another day of immigration enforcement in the state of Georgia,' Homeland Security Special Agent Steve Schrank told Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes. While a witness recorded video of what many are calling an ICE raid, Schrank said what police were doing on Cascade Road is called 'enforcement action,' and it was going on all over metro Atlanta on Monday. 'There were many operations going on simultaneously throughout the Atlanta area and greater Georgia on any day. We have many teams that are out conducting these operations. They are happening seven days a week at a faster pace than I've ever seen before,' Schrank said. TRENDING STORIES: Governor's office said it will start issuing special tax refund checks this week 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Dwight Eubanks diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer 'Nursing imposters': Man impersonating healthcare worker arrested, officials say He said many of the operations start with a tip. In the incident along Cascade, it was several tips that came into South Fulton police. They said many people complained about loitering and harassment in the area, and while local police were ensuring community safety, they realized many of the people accused of harassment were undocumented. Police arrested eight people. Schrank said anyone living in this country illegally, should expect more of this. 'The lawful authority to do this has been in place. However, under the prior administration, there were very strict rules and criteria for ICE to effect immigration arrests, and the priorities were very narrowly tailored. This president and this administration has mandated a very broad application of the laws that are on the books, and therefore many more people are being caught up and arrested and subsequently deported,' Schrank said. Schrank told Fernandes that there's also a focus on holding business owners accountable. If they get caught hiring undocumented workers, they could now face jail time.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Homeland Security provides insight into ICE, HSI arrest protocols following Alireza Doroudi arrest
TUSCALOOSA, Ala (WIAT) – A Homeland Security Special Agent provided insight into ICE and HSI arrest protocols. This comes following the release of surveillance video CBS 42 obtained on Thursday that shows Alireza Doroudi being escorted by federal agents. Alireza Doroudi was a doctoral student and the University of Alabama studying chemical engineering. Doroudi is an international student from Iran, who is now sitting in an ICE detention center in Louisiana. In the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 25, a fleet of unmarked vehicles drove down Reed Street, parked around Doroudi's apartment, and multiple officers in what appears to be street clothes under bullet proof vest approached the doctoral student's apartment. 'We have special response teams within HSI and ICE EROs,' Homeland Security investigation special agent Steven Schrank said. 'They are tactical SRTs that are much like swats teams that handle our highest risk operations.' Those swat-like teams are the ones who go in when the individual being arrested has violent criminal history or is deemed a national security risk, Schrank said. WATCH: Video shows Alireza Doroudi being detained by ICE officers at his apartment near the University of Alabama In the video CBS 42 obtained Tuesday, it appears the officers who detained Doroudi would fall under the special response teams category. However, CBS 42 has not found any violent criminal history record for the Iran national. But, ICE has deemed the PhD student a national security concern. 'Honestly, I'm reminded of the type of stuff we report on happening on the inside of Iran,' Jamal Addi said. Addi is the National Iranian American Council President. On Friday, he watched the surveillance video CBS 42 obtained for the first time. 'This whole situation is just scary and bizarre,' Addi said. Doroudi remained unrestrained as he walked alongside federal agents down Reed Street. 'Being called a national security threat but then walking out freely on his own with them and getting into an unmarked vehicle with them – it just raises so many questions,' Addi said. While the number of officers, vehicles, and force is dependent on the level of threat – HIS and ICE are not required to use handcuffs during the arrest process. 'It may be the case that agents and officers did not feel it was necessary or prudent,' Schrank said. Not wanting to cause disruptions, embarrassment or unsightliness out in public are other reasons Schrank cited as to why officers chose not to handcuff Doroudi. Doroudi's attorney and ICE have yet to provide why the student was deemed a national security concern. 'It may be a limited disclosure through a FOIA request,' Schrank said. 'Part of that is because we need to respect the privacy of individuals and we can't just share with the general public the nature of information that may lead to decisions to take certain enforcement actions.' However, the NIAC's president believes the relationship between the United States and Iran played a larger role in Doroudi's detainment. 'Because of the U.S. government and Iranian government conflict with one another, and because of the nefarious activities of the Iranian government – we would expect if there are crackdowns like this, then Iranians could be among the first that are targeted,' Addi said. During President Donald Trump's first term in office – Iran was on the travel ban list and Iranians are already heavily scrutinized in the U.S. Addi said. 'I think one of our fears though is, we're starting with students who are legally here, who are uploading the law but does this expand?' Addi questioned. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Homeland Security: 1,500 undocumented immigrants arrested in Georgia since January
Homeland Security officials say about 1,500 undocumented immigrants have been arrested in Georgia since January 22, a reflection of the Trump administration's hardline posture on illegal immigration. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Many of those arrested have already been convicted of serious crimes, including second-degree sexual abuse, sexual assault of a child and drug trafficking. Officials say one immigrant is a Venezuelan gang member wanted for murder in Illinois. 'If they are criminals, we are coming to get them,' said Steven Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta. 'And if they're not, and they're illegally present in the United States, they need to think well and hard about what their plan is for the future.' That could include self-deportation, something officials at a Friday news briefing encouraged. Kristen Sullivan is acting Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She said an app is now online from Customs and Border Protection to allow immigrants to report self-deportation without fear of arrest or other legal repercussions. 'We won't be coming out to your house and arresting you, arresting family members or people that you associate with,' she said. 'So you'll be able to leave on your own terms.' TRENDING STORIES: Kemp signs religious freedom bill into law as lawmakers scramble to get bill passed The US must return a Maryland man mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison, judge says As tariffs take effect, is trouble brewing for coffee roasters and drinkers? The immigration crackdown has included a 10-day enforcement action called Operation Safeguard. As part of the operation, federal agencies raided a flooring factory in Bartow County on March 26. The owner of Wellmade Manufacturing in Cartersville is accused of bringing hundreds of people from other countries, including China, and forcing them to work in the plant. The operation also led to the arrest of five people – two of them undocumented immigrants – for firearms violations. Agents seized 13 guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, some of which were bound for Mexico. 'This administration has made immigration enforcement a significant priority and will continue to enforce the law on the books,' Schrank said. The immigration crackdown involves enforcement at job sites. Officers arrested an undocumented immigrant from Mexico at a workplace who had previously been deported four times. Another undocumented immigrant has a criminal history that includes a conviction for multiple counts of sexual assault of a child. 'While no one should be present unlawfully in the United States, we are initially focusing efforts on those that impact our communities in a negative way,' Schrank said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
