By Oscar J. Barbosa, Esq.
Though we continue to dream of an improved immigration system, 2016 opened with a series of enforcement operations that created a shock across immigrant communities from coast to coast.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a January press release “our borders are not open to illegal migration; if you come here illegally, we will send you back consistent with our laws and values.” Officers of enforcement and removal operations have cracked down on undocumented people in immigrant communities since the priorities for immigration enforcement set in November 2014.
It is easy to understand why law enforcement needs to organize an aggressive crack down of criminal organizations and dangerous individuals. However, 121 families were detained because they missed a court hearing; not because they were dangerous. Mothers and children without criminal records are being placed in deportation proceedings.
The Department of Homeland Security‘s Enforcement and Removal Operations division does not admit to carrying out raids against families, and there are no official statistics of incursions into households. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the operations are tied to enforcement priorities. However, the majority of people detained were released due to civil rights violations or because they had valid applications to stay in the U.S.. Most had claims of asylum.
Equally concerning, youth granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals have been arrested based on social media posts and testimony from peers accusing them of gang memberships. Groups with Gang Tattoos, Gang Colors and friends of known gang members run the risk of deportation even if not involved in criminal activity, or charged with a crime.
The continued warrant-less searches reported across the country in immigrant households, as well as the arrest of collaterals* are a contradiction to U.S. laws and values.
To learn more or to get involved, follow in social media #not1more and www.notonemoredeportation.com/
* Collaterals are individuals that ICE identifies during a raid, that would not have not been detained but for the fact that they were encountered during an enforcement operation.
About the Author: Oscar J. Barbosa is an immigration attorney located in Lancaster, PA with offices in New Jersey and Virginia. You may contact him at info@diasporalaw.com or visit www.diasporalaw.com