This week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a large raid in Mississippi. More than 600 individuals were arrested and taken into custody. Those arrested and detained are removable/deportable aliens. These are individuals who are in violation of USC02 8 USC 1227 and 1911.8 USC 1325.
Two of the headlines that were written, that clearly missed the substance of the raids. Not only did the headline writers not perform any due diligence, but add to the mix Joaquin Castro, who released the following statement.
SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, released the following statement on the series of ICE raids in food processing plants across Mississippi resulting in the detention of over 680 people this morning:
“Today, the Trump administration intensified its attacks on Latinos by carrying out the largest ICE raid in our nation’s history. Nearly 700 workers were taken into custody, meaning hundreds of children will come home to find their parents missing and their families torn.
“Let’s be clear: ICE raids of this scale are not conducted for the purpose of immigration enforcement, they’re to strike fear in our communities in a time when Latinos are already living in terror. These workplace raids decimate communities and target law-abiding immigrants who are just trying to earn an honest living.
“These raids undermine public safety and the trust between law enforcement and our immigrant communities. Instead of targeting undocumented workers with long-standing ties to communities, the Department of Homeland Security should be using limited resources to target nefarious and serious national security threats.”
Evidently, Mr. Castro has failed to read USC02 8 USC 1227 and 1911.8 USC 1325. And for his sake, he or someone on his staff needs to bring him up to speed on the related statutes. If Mr. Castro is unhappy and doesn’t like, care for, or feel that the raids are justified he can certainly begin proceedings in Congress to officially change the statutes.
Until that time, ICE will and needs to continue to uphold the laws of the land.
