Immigrant advocates warn of ICE activity in Las Vegas
NEVADA
Immigrant advocates are warning Las Vegas-area residents of increased immigration enforcement activity this week after receiving reports from different attorneys.
Laura Martin, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, said at a Monday news conference that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents targeted a business earlier Monday morning and that plainclothes officers arrested eight immigrants at a Las Vegas worksite last week.
The Nevada Immigrant Coalition, which includes organizations such as PLAN, the Culinary Union and ACLU of Nevada, organized the news conference.
“ICE enforcement activity or an ICE raid has a devastating impact not only on the detained community members, but their families, businesses and the community,”
Martin said. “Elected officials also have a responsibility to represent and protect all Nevadans, not just citizens.”
Undocumented immigrants make up 9% of Nevada’s workforce, the largest share of any state in the country. Nine percent of households in Nevada, also the highest share in the country, have at least one undocumented resident.
“While we may have dark days ahead, we’ll always work to protect our freedoms, our families and our communities,” Martin said. “We deserve a brighter future, and we will continue to fight for it.”
Local immigration attorney Martha Menendez clarified that there had been no reports of large raids as of early Monday afternoon.
Menendez said those worried about being separated from their families should create a family plan and put all necessary papers, such as immigration documents and financial information, in a secure location.
She emphasized that residents and business owners do not have to let agents enter any private space, whether it’s an apartment or backroom of a grocery store, unless the officers have a warrant signed by a judge.
If agents have a signed judicial warrant, Menendez recommended that only the person named on the warrant go outside to the officers.
“If you are stopped, just remember not to tell them anything. That is one of the biggest rights we have: the right to remain silent,” the lawyer said.
“You should probably give them your name,” she added.
On Thursday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation told the Sun that it was assisting the Department of Homeland Security in a “national effort” to conduct welfare checks for unaccompanied children.
UNLV’s Immigration Clinic reported the same, worrying immigrant activists who saw it as a potential precursor to further enforcement.
“It’s hard to take, and it should be hard for anyone to take, any federal government agency at its word right now after a series of betrayals, including the decision by the IRS to share information with ICE,”
ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah told the Sun last week.
Martin added that the check-ins last week were a “red flag.” kyle.chouinard@gmgvegas.com / 702- 990-8923 / @Kyle_Chouinard
Laura Martin, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, said at a Monday news conference that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents targeted a business earlier Monday morning and that plainclothes officers arrested eight immigrants at a Las Vegas worksite last week.
The Nevada Immigrant Coalition, which includes organizations such as PLAN, the Culinary Union and ACLU of Nevada, organized the news conference.
“ICE enforcement activity or an ICE raid has a devastating impact not only on the detained community members, but their families, businesses and the community,”
Martin said. “Elected officials also have a responsibility to represent and protect all Nevadans, not just citizens.”
Undocumented immigrants make up 9% of Nevada’s workforce, the largest share of any state in the country. Nine percent of households in Nevada, also the highest share in the country, have at least one undocumented resident.
“While we may have dark days ahead, we’ll always work to protect our freedoms, our families and our communities,” Martin said. “We deserve a brighter future, and we will continue to fight for it.”
Local immigration attorney Martha Menendez clarified that there had been no reports of large raids as of early Monday afternoon.
Menendez said those worried about being separated from their families should create a family plan and put all necessary papers, such as immigration documents and financial information, in a secure location.
She emphasized that residents and business owners do not have to let agents enter any private space, whether it’s an apartment or backroom of a grocery store, unless the officers have a warrant signed by a judge.
If agents have a signed judicial warrant, Menendez recommended that only the person named on the warrant go outside to the officers.
“If you are stopped, just remember not to tell them anything. That is one of the biggest rights we have: the right to remain silent,” the lawyer said.
“You should probably give them your name,” she added.
On Thursday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation told the Sun that it was assisting the Department of Homeland Security in a “national effort” to conduct welfare checks for unaccompanied children.
UNLV’s Immigration Clinic reported the same, worrying immigrant activists who saw it as a potential precursor to further enforcement.
“It’s hard to take, and it should be hard for anyone to take, any federal government agency at its word right now after a series of betrayals, including the decision by the IRS to share information with ICE,”
ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah told the Sun last week.
Martin added that the check-ins last week were a “red flag.” kyle.chouinard@gmgvegas.com / 702- 990-8923 / @Kyle_Chouinard