City Reporter Finds 93% of 430 ICE Street Arrests Hit Latinos in NY/NJ
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 20
City Reporter Finds 93% of 430 ICE Street Arrests Hit Latinos in NY/NJ
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 20
Summary
430 ICE street arrests identified in New York, New Jersey and Long Island over five months were overwhelmingly concentrated in Latino neighborhoods, with 93% involving people from Latin American countries.
More than 1,200 habeas petitions reviewed by City Reporter suggest agents often stopped people because they resembled other targets or were simply Latino men in majority-Latino areas, according to court records and lawyers.
29 arrests in the dataset included force allegations such as Tasers, smashed car windows and guns drawn, while DHS denied racial profiling and said officers are trained to determine removability lawfully.
Federal judges in New York have increasingly criticized the tactics as illegal, and a judge has already barred most ICE courthouse arrests in New York City.
Because only about 1 in 10 detainees filed habeas petitions, the actual scale is likely far larger, deepening fear in Latino communities and fueling lawsuits and rapid-response organizing.
With legal challenges overwhelmingly successful, why are ICE's controversial street arrests in New York and New Jersey increasing?
Can new state laws hold federal agents accountable for alleged civil rights violations during street arrests?
ICE Street Arrests in NY/NJ Hit Record Highs: 93% Latino Lawsuits, 800+ Collateral Arrests, and the Human Cost of Aggressive Enforcement
Overview
This report highlights a troubling rise in disproportionate ICE street arrests in New York and New Jersey, as revealed by a detailed investigation from TheCityReporter.nyc. The findings show a visible increase in enforcement activities, with incidents such as a federal agent being attacked during an operation underscoring the risks and tensions involved. Public officials have defended ICE agents, emphasizing their challenging role. These enforcement trends have created fear and changed daily life in local communities, prompting both legal and political responses. The report connects investigative data, real incidents, and official statements to illustrate the complex impact of current immigration enforcement.