U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly planning predawn raids in 10 cities on Sunday to deport an estimated 2,000 immigrant families, but it’s unclear if San Diego is a target.
National media has specifically mentioned Houston, Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles as locations of the planned mass arrests.
The reports come following President Trump’s tweet on Monday night that “next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens.”
The operation is apparently aimed at families who have gone through all legal proceedings but have not yet been deported.
“If you’re here illegally, then you should be removed,” acting chief of ICE Mark Morgan said earlier this week. “And in this case, that includes families.”
San Diego Police Lt. Shawn Takeuchi said his department had received no word of out-of-the-ordinary actions planned by ICE in the city.
“They do their thing, because they have their goals and priorities, which are different than ours,” Takeuchi said Friday.
Takeuchi noted that even if they were aware of any planned raids, San Diego Police and other local law enforcement agencies are prohibited by state law — and, in the case of the SDPD, internal policy — from using their resources to aid in federal immigration enforcement.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement confirming the reported plans for an immigration sweep this weekend.
“The department is aware of upcoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions beginning this Sunday, directed toward individuals who have been issued final deportation orders,” the LAPD said. “These enforcement actions will include individuals residing in the Los Angeles region. The department is not participating or assisting in any of these enforcement actions.”
About 140 people are being targeted in Southern California, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Immigrant advocacy groups say they’re mobilizing in anticipation of an upcoming raids.
“These potential raids are a disgusting political ploy to stoke fear and rile up Trump’s base for 2020,” said Sandera Codero, director of Families Belong Together, a coalition of 250 groups focused on immigration.
“Past raids have left children alone and afraid in empty homes, praying they won’t be left to care for younger siblings by themselves, with no idea if they’ll see their parents again,” Codero said.
Updated at 4:40 p.m., Friday, June 21, 2019