ICE is reportedly targeting illegal immigrants who have already been issued deportation orders. However, they have stated "collateral" arrests will take place with people in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE) raids are reportedly set to begin this Sunday across the US in an effort to make good on President Trump's plans to deport thousands of illegal immigrants.
There are an estimated 25,000 Irish including many long- term families who will be in dread this weekend many fear separation for their legal American citizen kids.
Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform chairman Ciaran Staunton advised Irish undocumented to keep a low profile at the weekend. "It is not advisable to attend gatherings or events that ICE could be targeting," he said.
Read More: Trump pledges to deport “millions” of undocumented from America - including Irish?
On Thursday, The New York Times cited two current and one former homeland security officials as saying that ICE raids targeting about 2,000 people are expected to begin “in at least 10 major cities” this Sunday, July 14.
While the ICE raids are expected to target individuals who have already been issued deportation orders, sources told the New York Times that there may be “collateral” deportations: “In those deportations, the authorities might detain immigrants who happened to be on the scene, even though they were not targets of the raids.”
An ICE spokesperson told Fox News: "As always, ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of unlawfully present aliens who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security. ... However, all of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and – if found removable by final order – removal from the United States.”
Officials told The New York Times that the administration's goal is to use the raids as a show of force to deter families from approaching the southwestern border of the US.
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The New York Times report comes only a day after Ken Cuccinelli, acting US Citizenship and Immigration Services director, said: "We're not going to say when operational elements are going to roll out.”
Ken Cuccinelli on ICE raids: "They're absolutely going to happen. There's approximately a million people in this country w/ removal orders & of course that isn't what ICE will go after in this but that's the pool of people who have been all the way through the due process chain." pic.twitter.com/668Q0om2Eg
— The Hill (@thehill) July 11, 2019
"They're absolutely going to happen. There's approximately a million people in this country with removal orders. And of course that isn't what ICE will go after in this, but that's the pool of people who have been all the way through the due process chain."
In June, President Trump revealed plans of a similar raid but walked those plans back at the last moment after some pushback from both ICE and politicians.
At the request of Democrats, I have delayed the Illegal Immigration Removal Process (Deportation) for two weeks to see if the Democrats and Republicans can get together and work out a solution to the Asylum and Loophole problems at the Southern Border. If not, Deportations start!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
Read More: ICE, FBI have been using facial recognition technology to mine state's DMV databases
"Know Your Rights"
Politico reports that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said behind closed doors on Thursday that she urging people to spread the ‘Know Your Right’s campaign as the raids loom. Speaker Pelosi also reportedly plans to appeal to religious leaders to oppose the raids.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted:
No matter who you are or what your status is, this is the United States of America - where ALL people have rights. Know yours.
Prepare. Visit https://t.co/vneVYPCAY8 to learn how to handle this & other ICE encounters in multiple languages. pic.twitter.com/yDcKTzn8fq
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 11, 2019
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris tweeted:
These reports of mass ICE raids are extremely disturbing. Targeting families does not make us safer.
Californians: be prepared. Click here for information from the California Attorney General’s office about your rights https://t.co/xV8063xmXchttps://t.co/zASj1ElOLX
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) July 11, 2019
Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, also tweeted:
Rumors of mass ICE raids in major cities this weekend is stirring up anxiety within our immigrant communities.
My message to each of you: Regardless of your immigration status, be prepared. It’s critical that you know your rights.https://t.co/c2PNxfks2B pic.twitter.com/vvObO56I5B
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 11, 2019
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