ICE issues statement about “targeted intelligence” raid in Princeton
A spokesman for the Newark office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division of the agency targeted three noncitizens for arrest in Princeton on Wednesday, July 10.
The ERO manages all aspects of the immigration enforcement process, including the identification, arrest, detention, and removal of noncitizens who are unlawfully living in the U.S.
“One was taken into custody by ERO officers. The other arrest was blocked by public interference with officers in pursuit of the individual,” Newark field office Spokesman Emilio Dabul said in the statement. “The public should be aware that obstructing or otherwise interfering with an ICE arrest is a crime, and anyone involved may be subject to prosecution under federal law. In addition, encouraging others to interfere or attempt to obstruct an arrest is extremely reckless and places all parties in jeopardy.”
Dabul said the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations division does not conduct indiscriminate targeting of noncitizens.
“Any rumors to the contrary are nothing more than that, rumors and should not be taken as fact. ERO uses targeted intelligence-driven leads to prioritize enforcement actions against the most egregious noncitizen criminals who pose the greatest threat to national security, public safety, and border security, Dabul said. “ERO officers evaluate individuals on a case-by-case basis, assessing the totality of the facts and circumstances to make informed arrest determinations.”
More details about the activities that led to the arrest were not released Wednesday. Dabul said that such cases can result in federal criminal prosecution and can be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office, and that the ERO coordinates with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to evaluate the completion of relevant noncitizen applications.
The division’s mission is to protect the country through the arrest and removal of people who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, according to the agency. ERO’s, primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal.
Advocates for immigrants in Princeton reported Wednesday morning that ICE officers began knocking on doors at about 4 a.m. and were also interrogating Latinos on bicycles and people walking to work in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. Advocates claimed eight immigrants were arrested, and that Latinos on bikes were questioned and asked for their papers as they went to work.
Word of the raid spread quickly in the Princeton immigrant community, with many immigrants afraid to leave their homes and go to work. Some were afraid to pick their children up from school.
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman issued a statement about the raid Wednesday afternoon, saying she was horrified that agents allegedly did not identify themselves and reportedly randomly interrogated some immigrants.
“This kind of conduct has absolutely no place in our community or our country. I am working to get more information from federal agencies involved in order to fully understand what occurred,” Watson Coleman said.
“Let me say this as clearly as I can: we value our immigrant communities. We welcome immigrants. We are a nation of immigrants. Any actions of intimidation are unacceptable and despicable, and we will get to the bottom of it.,” Watson Coleman said. “In the coming days, my office will be sharing resources and information so members of our communities know their rights, and can respond to these illegal searches and actions. I will be looking for answers to this matter at hand to ensure that this does not happen again.”
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
Thank you, Congresswoman BWC, for quickly stepping into this situation. From what I’ve heard, ICE officers were indiscriminately stopping people on the street and on their bikes as they rode to work and asking them to “show their papers.” If this is true, it’s the worst kind of racial profiling and must be stopped immediately. Everyone should know that they are not required to answer questions without their attorney present. Just ask, “are you arresting me? If so please show me an arrest warrant signed by a judge, not a higher level ICE supervisor.”
These ICE agents are just doing their job. The majority of Americans and lawful residents approve of their actions and fully support it, including yours truly. I am proud of these ERO agents.
write your government officials
I am glad your looking in to this . immigrants are our back bone of this country they feed us .there work is vital to our country economy.and most are extremely very good people .no one should be treated this way .ever ever!!!
Aside from the disgusted manner this was carried out, like brown shirts in Germany 1930, we were almost in an accident with one of their cars. We were coming down Chambers, going into the right turn only lane onto Paul Robeson Pl, which is a one lane right turn. I yielded for traffic, and as I entered onto Robeson, at high speed he passed us on the right, ( there is no lane there, he squeezed past us) probably at 40 miles p/hr. Grey car, tinted windows. I watched where hen went after that, he turned back on to Witherspoon and right turn onto Hulfish. Speeding the whole time.
Police are supposed to protect us, we were almost in an accident. ICE should be abolished.
Thanks ice for your good work