Washington, D.C. – Today, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration will be deploying 100 agents from CBP to cities across the country in an attempt to further terrorize immigrants and people of color. The operation, which will run February through May, will involve agents equipped with stun grenades and enhanced Special Forces-type training, including sniper certification.
Adrian Reyna, Strategy Director of United We Dream Action, said:
“Trump continues to grow the reach of the deportation force – from targeting DACA recipients for deportation in advance of a Supreme Court decision to escalating ICE and CBP attacks throughout the country. It is imperative that all presidential candidates immediately denounce this intimidation tactic by the Trump administration, and instead commit to adopting policies that put people first, stop all deportations within the first 100 days in office, dismantle the horrific agencies of ICE and CBP, and allow everyone to be Free to Move, and Free to Stay.
Just last week ICE shot a man in the face. Sending CBP agents armed with stun grenades to work with ICE to detain and deport our community members is done solely for the purpose of causing harm and instilling fear into immigrants. The Trump administration is launching attacks against those who chose to be on the right side of history and protect their communities from the overreach and abuses of power of ICE and CBP.
In order to protect their residents, regardless of immigration status, state and local officials have a responsibility to ensure they are divesting from the deportation force by ending all collaboration with ICE through 287(g) agreements, not allowing local resources to be used by ICE and CBP such as deploying police to assist in arrests, and denying ICE access to records and information they do not have a judicial warrant for.”