ICE Agent Likely Violated Agency Rules, Leaked Memo Shows




The arrest last fall of an undocumented immigrant in a Texas house of worship by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has sparked a growing controversy that essentially pits the power of Caesar against the church.

The immigrant, 31-year-old Jose Juan Hernandez, who has lived in the United States since age 6, is not the ideal poster boy for such a moral crusade, given he has been deported three times previously and also has prior state convictions for attempted possession of a controlled substance and driving while intoxicated.

But in this case, it’s not Hernandez’ background, but rather the place of the arrest, a Texas church in Montgomery, Texas, located near Houston, that is fueling the outrage. There is nearly universally acceptance across human cultures that it is taboo to violate the perceived sanctity of a religious ceremony.

In addition, beyond the religious overtones coloring this particular immigration action, it appears that the federal agent who arrested Hernandez may also have violated his own agency’s policies — as outlined in an ICE memo detailing the agency’s procedures for enforcement actions “at or near sensitive community locations.â€