ICE operation leaves Somerville residents distraught (Somerville Journal)

ICE operation leaves Somerville residents distraught

By Andy Metzger
Wicked Local Somerville
Posted Oct 20, 2010 @ 01:59 PM

Somerville — There are few details, but an operation by the federal Immigration Customs Enforcement agency last week sent shockwaves through the city’s immigrant community.

“Late-night knocks at the door by groups of men dressed in black are intimidating to anyone, but even more so to the vulnerable families of neighborhoods like East Somerville,” the immigration advocacy group Centro Presente said in a statement.

According to Centro Presente, the ICE agents entered an East Somerville apartment building without a warrant on Oct. 14, looking for someone who no longer lived there and demanding the identity of others in the building. Agents reportedly received consent to enter the building and did not require a search warrant.

Centro Presente said ICE agents went door-to-door questioning people, including a 10-year-old girl, about the whereabouts of the person they were looking for. No arrests were made, according to the federal agency; however, agents apparently found someone they were looking for.

“Last week, during the search for a fugitive alien in Somerville, ICE agents encountered an individual with an outstanding order of removal. No arrests were made, though the individual has been ordered to report to ICE in the coming days,” said ICE spokesman Ross Feinstein. “ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, as well as recent entrants, and fugitives.”

While city officials said Somerville is a “sanctuary city” for undocumented immigrants, local police have little choice but to cooperate with the federal agency when asked. However, acting Police Chief Michael Cabral has said Somerville only alerts federal authorities to undocumented immigrants when they have committed a major crime, such as drug trafficking or gang violence.

One of the primary missions of ICE, on the other hand, is to investigate immigration violations, and it is one of the few agencies in the state that can arrest people for immigration violations.