US Department of Homeland Security bolsters ICE in sanctuary cities — The Hill
The US Department of Homeland Security has announced a nationwide increase in the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in so-called sanctuary cities. These are jurisdictions where local law enforcement agencies limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
List of states and jurisdictions
As The Hill reports, the Department of Homeland Security published the corresponding statement on Saturday on social media platform X. The agency called the increased ICE presence in sanctuary cities part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s ongoing immigration campaign.
The statement mentioned California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state. The Department of Homeland Security described the move as a nationwide public safety operation.
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Agency statements and criticism
DHS officials said they would continue detaining people who are unlawfully present in the United States and come to the attention of agents. The agency claims it is targeting migrants it calls criminals and who, according to its account, were released from prisons by sanctuary-city politicians.
Trump promised to deport the “worst of the worst,” but The Hill writes that the overwhelming majority of those detained had no criminal convictions or were involved in minor offenses. Critics believe that stepped-up deportations have led to more violent confrontations, while the administration is resisting efforts to hold agents accountable.
Incidents involving agents
The DHS statement came several days after federal officials in Austin, Texas, shot Venezuelan Wilber Rafael Garcas Perez in his vehicle while he was delivering DoorDash orders. He was hospitalized and later held in ICE custody; a bullet remained in the man’s back. Since Trump’s return to the White House, federal immigration agents have fired at people at least 20 times, with seven of those incidents proving fatal, prompting protests in different parts of the country.
