Key facts
- An investigation of over 1,200 lawsuits found 93% of immigrants arrested off streets by ICE in NY/NJ were Latino.
- Latinos constitute 66% of undocumented immigrants in the region, indicating disproportionate targeting.
- Street arrests, often occurring in mundane settings, have caused fear and rattled Latino neighborhoods.
- ICE agents allegedly used racial epithets and detained individuals based on appearance, sometimes mistaking them for others.
- The number of street arrests identified from lawsuits is likely lower than the actual total.
- The Department of Homeland Security denied allegations of racial profiling, stating enforcement targets those illegally in the US.
An investigation by the City Reporter, based on a review of over 1,200 lawsuits, has revealed that 93% of immigrants arrested off the streets by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the New York and New Jersey area were from Latin American countries. This figure is significantly higher than the 66% of undocumented immigrants in the region who are Latino, suggesting a disproportionate targeting based on ethnicity.
The street arrests, which have occurred in mundane settings like grocery stores or while walking dogs, have instilled fear in Latino communities. Some accounts detail ICE agents stopping individuals based on their appearance, sometimes mistaking them for others, and in some instances, using racial epithets. These encounters have reportedly turned violent, with agents deploying Tasers and smashing car windows.
While federal immigration data does not distinguish between street arrests and other enforcement actions, the review of habeas corpus petitions indicated that street arrests were more common than those occurring in immigration courts. The investigation identified 430 street arrests across the New York metro area over a five-month period. Lawyers are suing the administration, arguing these tactics violate the U.S. Constitution, and federal judges have criticized ICE's methods.
Despite a federal judge barring most ICE arrests at New York City immigration courthouses, a White House official has threatened to increase enforcement presence. The Department of Homeland Security has categorically denied allegations of racial profiling, stating that enforcement actions are based on an individual's immigration status, not their race or ethnicity. However, advocates like Elora Mukherjee, director of Columbia University's Immigrants' Rights Clinic, stated the data confirms ICE engages in racial profiling during street arrests.