Immigration arrests surge nationwide, including in South Sound, advocates say
A recent surge in immigration arrests has worried the immigrant community and advocates in and around Thurston County.
Leslie Cushman, an activist who co-leads a rapid response team in Thurston County, said her network has recently observed or received information about many arrests in Shelton, Lacey and Centralia.
“There’s a big surge going on,” Cushman said on Monday. “There are lots of arrests up and down I-5 right now.”
Cushman’s team is part of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, she said. On Thursday, the network issued a news release indicating its rapid response teams confirmed a “large-scale immigration enforcement operation” that occurred on June 28 in Shelton.
“It involved multiple vehicles and covered multiple locations, resulting in the detention of at least 21 people,” the release states. “The full impact on families and the community remains unclear, and we will provide more information as we receive it, but for now proceed with caution and remember that you have rights.”
The surge appears to be widespread. Videos have been circulating on social media about arrests. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had detained more than 10,000 people across the U.S. over the previous five days as part of a top-down push to double arrest numbers.
The Olympian asked ICE if there was an ongoing operation in Western Washington and to comment on the reported arrests in the South Sound region. ICE spokesperson Jason Chudy declined to comment on “current operations or future operational planning.”
“ICE’s mission of enforcing U.S. immigration and customs laws has not changed,” Chudy said. “… ICE will continue to make arrests routinely across the United States. All aliens who violate U.S. immigration law are subject to arrest and detention, regardless of their criminal histories.”
Chudy did not answer questions about how many residents have recently been arrested and whether any of them had criminal histories.
Shelton police received no advance notice about the June 28 raids and learned about them through social media videos, Chief Dan Patton told The Olympian Thursday. A 2019 state law prohibits local police departments from assisting with federal immigration enforcement.
Malou Chávez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, said her organization has heard reports of several communities that have recently been impacted by immigration arrests, including in the Shelton area, but couldn’t confirm specific locations.
“I can’t tell what the pattern is, but I can tell you it’s just been ongoing and it’s concerning,” Chávez said on Thursday. “It’s really frustrating and heartbreaking to see how many community members are impacted, their families, but also localities, the economy, jobs, mental health, just everything.”
Chávez said immigration law is complex and there are many different documents or statuses that a resident may have one day and not have the next.
“There might be people who missed their court hearings recently and got ordered removed in absentia,” Chávez said. “There are people who have been living in the U.S. for years and are now checking in with ICE and they get apprehended at an ICE check-in.”
The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end temporary protections for more than 350,000 people from Haiti and Syria on June 25, the New York Times reported. That decision left those affected scrambling to find alternative documentation or plan an exit.
Chávez said it’s important for residents to understand their legal options by consulting an attorney. Additionally, she said it’s important for people with pending relief to keep up with immigration notices, appointments and court hearings.
“We know that some hearings are being advanced,” Chávez said. “When someone misses a court hearing, there’s a likelihood that they would be ordered deported in their absence. So, it’s very important that people stay up to date with their addresses.”
Sometimes relief may simply not be available, Chávez said. To avoid fraud, she advises residents to seek second opinions from attorneys and understand what services they’re paying for.
Chávez also advises people to know their rights.
“Unfortunately, we know that this federal administration disregards many of our rights and that they are targeting specific communities, but it is important to know the right to remain silent and the right to speak to an attorney,” Chávez said. “Do not sign any documentation that you’re not familiar with. Do not sign voluntary departure. Ask to go before an immigration judge to defend your status. Wait until you have legal advice of an immigration attorney before you make decisions.”
Chávez said supporters of the immigrant community who want to get involved can join a rapid response team, get informed and become aware of policy changes.
“These policies and practices are changing weekly, sometimes daily,” Chávez said.
Allies should make sure they are sharing correct information and openly providing resources, she said.
“Don’t assume someone may need specific help,” Chávez said. “Just make resources available to everyone because you never know who may be in need.”
There are many support organizations across the state that people can join, Chávez added.
People also can create emergency plans in the event someone they know is detained as well as join efforts to accompany affected individuals when they’re running errands or attending appointments, she added.
Lastly, Chávez recommended that people contact their congressional representatives.
“They need to hear from all of us, our concerns, the fears and our frustrations,” Chávez said.
