Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents recently carried out a four-day immigration enforcement operation in Northern Texas and Oklahoma that resulted in 75 arrests. According to government officials, however, this operation was not part of the Trump administration’s threatened mass immigration sweeps. Instead, this raid was a routine operation that focused on immigrants with final removal orders, which reportedly had been in the works for several months. Nonetheless, ICE also arrested and detained other immigrants, such as friends and relatives of the targeted immigrants.
Of the 75 detainees, 51 were arrested in North Texas and the remaining individuals in Oklahoma. Charges for these immigrants ranged from unlawful entry into the country to assault and other criminal offenses.
Although this raid may not have been part of the Trump administration’s threatened raids, these smaller operations can frighten immigrant communities. Immigration advocates cite the raids as another means of creating an environment of fear among immigrants.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s promised nationwide immigration raids failed to materialize in early July, aside from about 18 arrests in a planned “family” operation and another 17 collateral arrests. While some isolated routine enforcement efforts continued in selected areas of the country, they were not part of the larger plan. These raids allegedly were scheduled to target some 2,000 immigrants who have final orders of removal and have refused to leave the country. The ACLU also has taken legal action to block the planned raids.
The immigration lawyers of Peek Law Group have handled the cases of countless individuals and businesses who are facing immigration issues. We are here to protect your rights and advocate on your behalf. As a result, we will strive to get the best outcome possible in your case. Call our office today at (512) 399-2311 to set up an appointment with our immigration attorneys.