Thread: Md - Agents felt pressure to arrest illegal immigrants

February 18, 2009
Updated: 1:23 p.m.

Agents felt pressure to arrest illegal immigrants, ICE report says
24 Latinos were arrested at Baltimore 7-Eleven raid
By Scott Calvert | scott.calvert@baltsun.com
1:23 PM EST, February 18, 2009

CASA de Maryland employees watch a video of the 2007 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid of a 7-Eleven in Southeast Baltimore during which 24 Latinos were arrested. (Baltimore Sun photo by Kim Hairston / February 18, 2009)



The federal agents who arrested 24 Latinos during a 2007 raid at a Southeast Baltimore 7-Eleven felt pressure from supervisors to round up possible illegal immigrants to "produce statistics," according to an internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement report.

The report appeared to contradict previous statements by ICE that the agents were taking a coffee break Jan. 23, 2007, when they were approached by Latino laborers outside the South Broadway store, a popular hiring spot.

Immigrant advocates released the report this morning and said it revealed further evidence of a "broken" immigration system that unfairly targeted Latinos who were not guilty of any crimes.

CASA de Maryland, an immigrant advocacy group, obtained the report under a public records request. CASA and several other groups are requesting an urgent meeting with Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Homeland Security Department, to discuss their concerns.



Video
Related links
CASA news conference in Hyattsville Photos
Immigrant advocates say footage shows Latinos unfairly targeted in Fells Point raid Video
Today's Sun photos Photos "We need just and humane immigration reform," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, during a news conference at the group's office in Hyattsville. "We need to stop the raids immediately."

The ICE report denies accusations by CASA that the agents violated the civil rights of the 24 men picked up in the raid, calling those allegations "unsubstantiated." It also says evidence "did not support the allegation" that the men were targeted based on race or ethnicity, as CASA contends based on witness accounts and video footage of the raid.

But the report does state that the raid did not spontaneously occur after agents pulled into the 7-Eleven to rest and get coffee.

"The evidence revealed that the Fugitive Operations officers were ordered to seek additional arrests that day due to managerial pressure to produce statistics for Operation Return to Sender," it says.

"The evidence supports that the 7-Eleven store was visited at the suggestion of one of the deportation officers" while agents were traveling to another "targeted location" in Baltimore.

"It's a perfect example of the crisis that our broken immigration system presents in which ICE acts with impunity," said Michelle Mendez, a lawyer who represents some of the men who were detained. Referring to agents, she said, "They had a vision in mind which was prompted by ICE policies."

Of the 24 men who were arrested, one proved his legal status, said another attorney, Justin Cox, and four others have pending immigration cases. The remaining 19 were either deported or left the country voluntarily, Cox said, though only "two or three" had deportation orders and were therefore deemed "fugitives" by ICE.

Today's news conference comes three weeks after CASA released 7-Eleven surveillance video that immigration advocates said shows federal agents unfairly targeting Latinos during the raid.

In the video, agents can be seen ignoring black store patrons while focusing on Latino men. Advocates say a white man who had hired Latinos for day labor was allowed to drive his pickup truck away from the 7-Eleven, while the workers were taken into custody. In addition, the advocates say, the video shows agents detaining a number of Latinos who had been waiting at a bus stop across the street.

CASA says it received the ICE internal report Feb. 3.




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Of the 24 men who were arrested, one proved his legal status, said another attorney, Justin Cox, and four others have pending immigration cases. The remaining 19 were either deported or left the country voluntarily, Cox said, though only "two or three" had deportation orders and were therefore deemed "fugitives" by ICE.

Sounds like a success to me!

"The evidence supports that the 7-Eleven store was visited at the suggestion of one of the deportation officers" while agents were traveling to another "targeted location" in Baltimore.

If that's the case then I have a lot of suggestions for ICE

How come it is solicitation and against the law if a prostitute asks for employment, but illegals asking for work is not?

Originally Posted by Hawk

"The evidence supports that the 7-Eleven store was visited at the suggestion of one of the deportation officers" while agents were traveling to another "targeted location" in Baltimore.

If that's the case then I have a lot of suggestions for ICE

Yea...perhaps ICE could stop by a Home Depot on their way to the next target!