BRIDGETON --Lazaro Perez Velazces, 25, was one of the more than a dozen city residents taken into custody Monday morning after a weeklong federal sweep dubbed "Operation Return to Sender", which seeks to capture alien fugitives who have ignored court orders to leave the country.
The raids has prompted Hispanic residents to withdraw from civic life and not leaving the house unless it's absolutely necessary.
When I saw them, I just left,” said Virgilio Soto, 25, a city resident who works at a fruit-packing plant in Vineland,. “We're afraid to go out, we're afraid to open the door. I still work, but I'm afraid that I'll leave and never come back.”
To be honest, I don't know what I'm going to do,” Luria Hernandez Escobar said in Spanish, adding that other women whose family members were taken were also given the same notice.[to appear Feb. 12 at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, office in Marlton] “I'm scared to be here.”
agents raided the home of Escobar at 4:30 am.
He has no record,” said Bernarda Escobar , 68, of her daughter's fiance as she was sitting on her sofa, flanked by images of the Virgin Mary on fabrics used as window coverings. “He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke. He's a good man.”
Michael Gilhooly, spokesman for ICE says that there is nothing illegal about the way in which ICE agents conduct their arrests, referring to section 287 of the immigration and nationality act, which gives ICE the power to investigate without a warrant. "... Were not breaking the law. If we have an opportunity to arrest someone who's here illegally, were going to take it."
3 comments:
I read the main article and it just floors me how they act surprised when we finally get off our rear ends and start enforcing the law.
"he has no record...he doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke. He is a good man." not true!
he and his family crossed the border illegally.
that makes them criminals.
They violated our borders.
I would also think it would be safe to assume that they use falsified documents to work.
while it is sad about the impact that the raids have on families, keep in mind, they made a conscious choice to come here knowing the consequences if they got caught.
I am amazed that they are afraid. Like anything bad is going to happen. They get sent home or to jail, either way, America is footing the bill.
And the 'poor' guy with no record...how can you have a record without documentation?
Personally, I am glad to see ICE doing something instead of talking about it. Might have something to do with elections coming up ya think?!
Everything I have read lately about ICE raids is from the East Coast or Texas. What about the over run parts of the west?
Post a Comment