Congressional Hispanic Caucus requests meeting with ICE officials after raids
/The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is requesting a meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officials over recent raids on undocumented immigrants.
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), who chairs the caucus, sent a letter to ICE asking for “an open and candid discussion” on the enforcement changes, saying the raids "have struck fear in the hearts of the immigrant community.”
“It is critical that we meet with you in person immediately to discuss the impact these raids have had on our communities as well as obtain clarifying guidance on how ICE policies will differ from the last Administration,” the letter reads.
Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren (Calif.), Lucille Roybal-Allard (Calif.), John Conyers (Mich.), Luis Gutierrez (Ill.) and Judy Chu (Calif.) also signed the letter calling for a meeting by Wednesday.
The letter stated that congressional offices had contacted ICE and the Department of Homeland Security about the recent raids in California, but has yet to year back about the enforcement.
A report on Friday said more than 300 undocumented immigrants had been arrested in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and Chicago in raids this week.
An ICE official in the Los Angeles office called the raid an “enforcement surge,” but maintained that they were routine.
Trump last month signed an executive order on immigration that ended the “catch and release” policy that allowed people who crossed the border to return to Mexico without being detained.
