At least two Fresno County arrests are made during four-day ICE operation
At least two people in Fresno County were arrested by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents this week in a massive operation that swept over Northern California.
A person from El Salvador previously deported and convicted of assault was arrested by ICE. Additionally, a person from Mexico who also was previously deported and convicted of battery on a spouse and burglary was arrested.
The Fresno County arrests were two of more than 230 that ranged from the Oregon border to Bakersfield over four days. The operation concluded Wednesday.
It’s unclear if additional arrests were made in Fresno County. ICE did not provide a county-by-county breakdown of the arrests.
Of the total arrests, 180 were either convicted criminals, were issued a final order of removal, failed to leave the U.S., or previously were deported and returned to the U.S. illegally, according to a statement from ICE.
ICE said its enforcement is driven by people who pose a threat to national security, public safety or border security. But its enforcement efforts also includes people considered “removable aliens.”
Immigration activists blasted ICE this week, claiming many of those arrested in the sweep were law-abiding community members unfairly targeted by the federal agency.
““We are receiving multiple reports of ICE agents targeting local workers using potentially unconstitutional tactics to detain individuals and tear apart families. It appears that ICE is purposefully creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust,” said Rabbi Rick Winer of Temple Beth Israel, who also is the Faith in the Valley president. “The faith community and our allies continue to call upon ICE to stop separating families. We call upon our elected officials to protect the rights of all immigrant families, families who form an important part of the foundation of our community and economy, seeking to be a part of the American dream we all wish to nurture. We must build trust, not fear, and pursue the justice upon which our nation is founded.”
A Merced County resident, Miguel Botello, earlier this week said agents asked for his green card when he left a gas station where he and his co-workers got coffee before work. The agents accused Botello of having a fake green card and detained his three co-workers. Local immigration activists claimed the incident was an example of racial profiling.
In a statement, ICE officials said the federal law enforcement organization has been negatively impacted by California’s “sanctuary” policy that has limited communication with local law enforcement partners.
“ICE has no choice but to continue to conduct at-large arrests in local neighborhoods and at work sites, which will inevitably result in additional collateral arrests, instead of focusing on arrests at jails and prisons where transfers are safer for ICE officers and the community,” the statement said.
This story was originally published March 1, 2018 at 5:17 PM with the headline "At least two Fresno County arrests are made during four-day ICE operation."