According to a
recent L.A. Times article, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents regularly engage in
targeted raids of undocumented immigrants; however, many of those arrested
during these raids are “collateral arrests,” which means that
ICE arrested them not because they were the targets of the raids, but
because they simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
For instance, ICE agents recently arrived at an automotive shop in South
Los Angeles with a warrant for the shop’s owner, who was subject
to an outstanding deportation order for multiple DUI convictions. However,
the agents wore vests reading “Police” and never asked anyone
about their immigration status before proceeding to arrest all employees
of the business. Immigration advocates allege that these collateral arrests
amount to racial profiling and a violation of constitutional rights. While
some of those collateral arrests are of immigrants with criminal records,
many do not. This example is illustrative of the shift in policies by
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which stripped all priorities
from the immigration enforcement process. Rather than focusing on recent
border crossers and immigrants with criminal records, as was the case
during the Obama administration, ICE agents are arresting immigrants who
accompany family members to ICE check-ins, who are waiting for a ride
to work with a targeted co-worker, or who are present in the same home
or business as a targeted immigrant. Most immigrants arrested by ICE,
however, have no means of accessing legal counsel, and they are not entitled
to legal representation under federal immigration law. As a result, even
if an arrest was unconstitutional, an immigrant detainee is unlikely to
know how to raise such a legal claim. When you or a loved one are detained
and face deportation for any reason,
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C.
is here to help. We care about you, your family, and your ability to remain
in the U.S. As a result, our California deportation defense lawyers stand
ready to build the strongest possible deportation defense case on your
behalf. Contact your
Oakland immigration lawyer
today and learn how we can advocate for you and your family in your deportation
proceedings.
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