Latest news with #AlternativestoDetention
San Francisco Chronicle
15-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Very scared' immigrants continue to answer ICE summons as protesters target S.F. building
Dozens of protesters returned Sunday to a nondescript, two-story white building in an alleyway in San Francisco's South of Market where Bay Area residents working to legalize their immigration status were summoned by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this weekend. Activists suspected a trap and brought immigration attorneys to counsel confused immigrants and their families who feared violating the terms of their conditional release if they failed to show and arrest if they did appear. So far, the office has remained locked and closed, as protesters chanted and banged drums at the Tehama Street building. 'People were very scared and very panicked,' said Luis Angel Reyes Savalza, a San Francisco deputy public defender. 'It's very irregular to receive a last minute message to report on a weekend. In my 10 years of practicing, I've never heard of reporting on a weekend.' Savalza and other attorneys, most volunteering their time, said Saturday they assisted more than 50 participants in the Alternatives to Detention or Intensive Supervision Appearance Program. About 7.6 million immigrants participate in the program, which allows them to live at home as their cases are processed, according to ICE figures from October. Four program participants who received similar text messages were arrested after reporting to the ISAP office in Fresno on Saturday, Savalza said. 'We have a very strong reason to believe that our mobilization and support stopped ICE from detaining people at the office yesterday,' Sanika Mahajan, an organizer from Mission Action, said Sunday. ICE officials did not immediately return a request for comment Sunday. The mysterious weekend reporting requests coincided with massive No Kings Day marches and rallies in San Francisco and nationwide in response to a growing opposition movement to President Donald Trump as he pushes to deport immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. The text messages, sent in Spanish, told recipients to report to the Tehama Street facility during business hours Saturday or Sunday. 'If you do not present yourself according to instructions it will be considered an infraction,' the messages read. Savalza said attorneys have counseled immigrants who went to the facility to inform their reporting officer and to verify their arrival with a photo at the location. Immigrants continued to show up Sunday, though it remained locked in the morning. Protesters circled in front of the front door, chanting and holding signs, such as 'I.C.E. Out the Bay.' Anti-ICE graffiti remained on the walls from the day before. In the past, ICE protests have focused on more high-profile buildings such as the field office on Sansome Street and the San Francisco Immigration Court on Montgomery Street.
San Francisco Chronicle
14-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Protesters rush to avert deportations after ICE tells immigrants to come to S.F. office
A small office building in San Francisco's South of Market became the scene early Saturday of a hastily organized protest against the Trump administration's aggressive deportation policies as activists scrambled to block the federal government from detaining more immigrants. About 200 protesters began marching outside 478 Tehama St. at 7 a.m. after immigrants received texts Friday ordering them to check in with officials this weekend. Activists had anticipated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has an office at the address, would try to detain immigrants who showed up. As many as 25 immigrants including families arrived by about 11 a.m., but the office appeared closed and no one had entered or left. Instead, activists met with the immigrants outside and connected them with lawyers. The action came ahead of the No Kings Day march and rally in San Francisco and nationwide amid a push by President Donald Trump to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally and a growing and sometimes unruly opposition movement. Many of the protesters had departed by 11 a.m., but organizers said they would stay because the ICE text messages had told immigrants to come during business hours Saturday or Sunday. A resident of Richmond in the East Bay who came with her husband, son and daughter to the San Francisco building just after 8:30 a.m. said she received a text message from ICE on Friday telling her to come to the office. It frightened her, but she felt she should go. 'I thought it was really weird because they work Monday through Friday,' the woman said in Spanish. She texted back asking about that, and who was texting her, but did not get a response. The woman said she and her husband, 18-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter have been in the United States for 2½ years, regularly meeting with immigration authorities, attending video sessions and sending photos. The building, on a SoMa side street, houses the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, which is run by ICE, according to Sanika Mahajan, an organizer with immigrant advocacy group Mission Action. The location has seen fewer detentions — and protests — in the past couple weeks than has the ICE building on Sansome Street or the San Francisco Immigration Court on Montgomery Street. Mahajan said the immigrants face a predicament. If they don't show up to check in with immigration officials, they could face deportation for not following necessary steps in their cases. If they do show up, they could be detained and deported by ICE, she said. ICE officials did not immediately respond to Chronicle requests for comment Saturday. Several immigrants who arrived Saturday morning said they are part of an ICE program that allows them to live at home as their cases are processed. ICE says about 7.6 million immigrants are in the program, known as Alternatives to Detention or the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, as of October. 'ATD-ISAP enables aliens to remain in their communities — contributing to their families and community organizations and, as appropriate, concluding their affairs in the U.S. — as they move through immigration proceedings or prepare for departure,' the agency says on its website. According to news reports, ICE has been using text messages to alert participants in the program that they must come to an agency location. The practice has picked up in recent weeks as the administration pushed to increase arrests and deportations. The actions have spread fear and apprehension throughout immigrant communities. Nancy Hormachea of National Lawyers Guild, who was at the ICE office Saturday morning, said those getting messages to appear there seem to be part of the ADT program. 'The only thing we know about the people that are told to show up today are people who have already been processed by immigration because they entered the country without papers. And they are not people who have criminal history,' she said. 'And now they've decided that all those programs were unlawful and the new laws on expedited removal are in place.' Immigrants were comparing paperwork and communication from ICE in an attempt to understand what was going on. Many took photos of themselves in front of the building, presumably to prove they were there if needed. A Nicaraguan who came to the building with her 5-year-old daughter said she was notified late Friday that she had to check with immigration officials between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday or Sunday, though she was next scheduled for an appointment Wednesday. The Richmond woman who came with her family said she was relieved to see the protesters there Saturday and to receive support and assistance. 'On one side, I felt emotional to see all the support for us immigrants — but also scared about what's going to happen,' she said. 'I have a lot of questions without answers,' she said. 'Thanks to God that there are people there supporting us. I believe a lot in God.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
San Jose's undocumented residents ‘under attack' by ICE, councilman says
(KRON) — Following recent arrests in San Jose carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, a city councilman declared that local undocumented residents are 'under attack.' Councilmember Peter Ortiz described increased federal immigration enforcement as 'disturbing.' Ortiz sent a memo Friday calling on the city to allocate $1 million in emergency funding to support and protect immigrant and undocumented communities. The councilman said he is making the request in the midst of increased ICE apprehensions and the recent opening of a new ICE office in South San Jose. 'Our community is under attack. ICE has begun to increase its presence in our neighborhoods, and families are being torn apart. These are not abstract headlines — these are our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers. The people of San Jose deserve to feel safe in their own city,' Ortiz said. The memo calls on the City Council to approve the funding during a final budget hearing on Tuesday, June 10th, as a moral response to the 'crisis.' The requested $1 million will provide legal assistance, rapid response services, and community outreach to ensure undocumented residents know their rights and have access to help. ICE agents made arrests in San Jose Wednesday. On Tuesday, ICE agents were seen conducting an operation in the area of Snell Avenue and Blossom Hill Road. 'We know the federal government is ramping up enforcement efforts and expanding their capacity to detain and deport. What we've seen here in San Jose is likely just the beginning,' Ortiz said. 'We cannot allow members of our community to be hunted and captured like animals.' A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told KRON4 on Friday that ICE's Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program and Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) exist to ensure compliance. The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said, 'All illegal aliens are afforded due process. Those arrested had executable final orders of removal by an immigration judge and had not complied with that order. If you are in the country illegally and a judge has ordered you to be removed, that is precisely what will happen. During the Biden administration, thousands of illegal aliens — including violent criminals — with final orders of removal were on ATD and allowed to roam our communities. This should never have been the case. Thanks to the leadership of Secretary Noem and President Trump, the proper policy is back in place.' Ortiz's memo said immigrants serve a critical role in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of San Jose. The San Jose City Budget Hearing will take place June 10 at City Hall. Public comment will be open, and residents are encouraged to attend and speak out. Federal immigration agents raided several locations in downtown Los Angeles Friday. Agents reportedly detained dozens of people while encountering protesters. Officers wearing vests emblazoned with HSI — an acronym for Homeland Security Investigations — were seen taking people into custody, KTLA reported. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
News18
05-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Trump Administration Arrests Record Number Of Immigrants In A Single Day
Curated By : Last Updated: June 05, 2025, 19:51 IST US President Donald Trump (Getty) The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more than 2,200 individuals- the largest number of immigrant detentions recorded in a single day, NBC News reported. The move is likely driven by mounting political pressure from senior Trump administration aides, including former White House adviser Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who have directed ICE to escalate enforcement and target up to 3,000 arrests daily, it was reported. Arrested Immigrants Were Being Monitored Most of those arrested were already enrolled in ICE's Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program- designed to monitor undocumented immigrants considered low-risk. Participants are typically tracked using GPS-enabled ankle bracelets, smartphone apps, or are required to attend regular check-ins with ICE officers, the report noted. ICE Sent Mass Text Messages Before Arrest ICE sent mass text messages to ATD enrollees asking them to report early to local field offices. Many who complied were arrested on arrival, including seven individuals at a single facility. Owing to this shift in tactics, immigration attorneys and advocacy groups said this is a significant breach of trust and may violate due process, particularly as some of those arrested did not have final deportation orders. Greg Chen, senior director at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said, 'This is mass-scale enforcement that feels indiscriminate. People are now increasingly afraid and intimidated." Swipe Left For Next Video View all The ATD program, established during the Joe Biden administration, has been widely praised for its 98.5% compliance rate with scheduled ICE appointments. ICE has yet to issue a formal statement on the operation. Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" News world Trump Administration Arrests Record Number Of Immigrants In A Single Day
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
US arrests 2,200 immigrants in a day as Trump govt intensifies crackdown
On Tuesday, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out the largest single-day operation in its history, detaining more than 2,200 individuals. According to a NBC News report, the arrests were made as the agency faces intensified pressure from the White House to rapidly increase arrests. The people who have been arrested were listed in ICE's Alternative to Detention (ATD) programme. Under the programme, undocumented migrants who are deemed not to be a threat to public safety are released, but are kept under supervision through ankle monitors, smartphone apps, or other geolocating programmes, along with check-ins at ICE facilities. According to immigration attorneys cited in the report, ICE sent a mass text message that reached numerous individuals enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programme. The message asked people to show up at ICE offices ahead of their scheduled appointments. However, they were arrested when they showed up. The report added that at least seven people who came for check-ins at New York's ICE office were handcuffed and sent away in unmarked cars. Citing an immigration attorney, representing the family of a 30-year-old Colombian man who was taken away, said that the man had gone to every ICE appointment, adding that 'He was, you know, very cooperative with all of the requirements that were made of him.' An ICE spokesperson, commenting on the arrests of immigrants wearing ankle monitors who had appeared for scheduled appointments, told NBC News, 'Those arrested had executable final orders of removal by an immigration judge and had not complied with that order.' The White House deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, allegedly threatened ICE leaders in a meeting of firing away senior officials, if the agency does not start making 3,000 arrests per day. Ever since US President Donald Trump returned to office for his second term, his administration has intensified the crackdown on immigrants living in the US. From introducing a self-deportation app to sending scores of immigrants back to their home country, the Trump administration, while calling out his predecessor Joe Biden's 'open border' policy, has vowed to continue the crackdown on immigrants, citing national security risks.
