U.S. Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents
recently announced that they have been conducting targeted enforcement
efforts in the San Francisco area. The purpose of this effort is to arrest
individuals who have violated federal immigration laws. Within the space
of a week, ICE agents arrested more than 150 individuals, only about half
of which had any history of criminal convictions. ICE characterized these
arrests as designed to protect the U.S. from public safety threats. Considering
the lack of criminal history for some individuals, or a minimal criminal
history in some cases, the presence of public safety threats from these
individuals seems far from clear. According to ICE, however, 88% of arrested
individuals in similar efforts in Los Angeles had a criminal record, and
in fiscal year 2017, 81% of the over 20,000 immigrants arrested had a
criminal record. ICE also used its announcement as an opportunity to warn
of the danger of sanctuary jurisdictions, such as San Francisco and Oakland,
where local governments shield “dangerous criminal aliens . . .
at the expense of public safety.” In its press release, ICE Deputy
Director Thomas D. Homan also accused the recently publicized actions
of the Oakland mayor in publicly warning residents about the possibility
of ICE raids. Homan further claimed that the mayor’s “irresponsible
decision” to “attempt to undermine ICE’s critical mission,”
has left 864 immigrants who are a threat to public safety at large in
the Bay Area. According to ICE, this practice places officers at great
risk of harm, requires ICE to expend additional resources, and increases
the risks of collateral arrests. In its press release, ICE highlighted
the arrest of Armando Nunez-Salgado, a Mexican native and alleged Sureno
gang member who had been deported on four previous occasions and amassed
criminal convictions over a period of 18 years, which resulted in 15 years
of incarceration. Given the current political climate, there is a much
greater risk of detention and deportation for all undocumented immigrants
present in the U.S. At
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., we are dedicated to protecting the rights of detained noncitizens and
working toward their release from detention. We know how to evaluate your
case, explore your options, and provide you with the strongest defense
against removal possible. Contact your
California deportation defense attorneys
today and set up an appointment to speak with our legal team.
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