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Over the weekend, immigration enforcement agents rounded up hundreds of illegal aliens from across the country. It was not a Trump initiativethe wheels for these raids were set in motion before he was sworn inbut it was certainly in the spirit of one. Immigration activists noted that the nature of these raids was harsherwhatever that means. The Department of Homeland Security said that 75 percent of thosewho were rounded up had criminal records (via The Hill):

In a press release, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said the department arrested 680 people in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Antonio who pose a threat to public safety, border security or the integrity of our nations immigration system.

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President Trump last month signed an executive order calling for the construction on his proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall to begin. Another order ended the catch and release policy, which allowed people who crossed the border to return to Mexico without being detained.

The new order also expanded the definition of criminal alien to include individuals who entered the country without authorization, which was originally considered a misdemeanor offense. Immigrants who have "committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense" are now priorities under the order, even if they have yet to be convicted.

The deportation of criminal aliens isnt an unpopular proposal. In fact, its exactly what immigration enforcement officers should do. The fact that 75 percent who were arrested this weekend showsunsurprisinglythat Obama and the Democrats dont care about enforcing of federal immigration laws. After eight years of dithering or outright negligence, you can see how thisand many other issuescould give rise to a political outsider, like Trump, to win an election. When a Democrat, like New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, says that illegals wouldnt be deported if they were caught drunk driving, you see why voters trust Republicans on law and order and national security issues.

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Busted: 75 Percent Of Illegal Aliens Rounded Up Over The Weekend Had Criminal Records - Townhall

Video: Illegal Immigrants Arrested In Hamburg

Jeff Preval, WGRZ 8:42 PM. EST February 14, 2017

HAMBURG, NY -There's new information out on the arrest of a group of suspected illegal immigrants in Hamburg.The Border Patrol tells us 23 people in all were detained Monday night.

And now, we're getting a look at new video of the arrest as it took place.

It's still unclear if the suspected illegal immigrants will be charged or deported.

From cell phone video a viewer showed us, taken Monday outside the 7-Eleven on Southwestern Boulevard by SowlesRoad in Hamburg, you can see there's a lot of activity in the parking lot, with Border Patrol vehicles and Hamburg Police on scene.

This is where authorities arrested the 23 suspected illegal immigrants. One officer can be seen frisking a man who was being detained. Moments later, vehicles are towed away.

Robert Skimin says he shot this video on his phone.

"We got home at normal time 5 o'clock and all of a sudden looked outside and seen a swarm of what looked like cop cars," he said.

He says some of the suspected illegal immigrants were detained as they came out of 7-Eleven. Officials from Border Patrol say the arrests have nothing to do with the convenience store.

"About 15 minutes later another van would show up they automatically grabbed them take them out of the van put them in the paddywagon, 15 minutes later another van showed up they frisked them, paddywagon," he said.

Matthew Kolken, an immigration law attorney says generally when suspected illegal aliens are taken into custody, they're taken to a federal detention center in Batavia.

"They are entitled to an attorney but not at the expense of the government you are afforded due process protection when you're in an immigration court proceeding which includes counsel but you don't get a free one," Kolken said.

Kolken says they have to pay their way or contact the bar association, which offers free counsel. Border Patrol, which is the lead agency on the investigation, has not released much information since Monday. They haven't answered questions about where they're from, or what they've been doing here.

( 2017 WGRZ)

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Video: suspected illegal immigrants arrested - WGRZ.com

As the Department of Homeland Security announced 680 arrests in roundups last week targeting immigrants living illegally in the United States, local immigration attorneys are uncertain about the role local law enforcement agencies will play in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

However, in statements to NBC 7, the California Highway Patrol, the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department have said their officers and deputies will not stop and arrest individuals based on immigration law.

Details of who was arrested in last week's federal raids were not made available, but the arrests and rumors about other raids sparked fear and confusion among immigrants.

President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 25 authorizing local law enforcement agencies to deport undocumented immigrants who have criminal records.

Weeks later, while addressing law enforcement chiefs and sheriffs at a national meeting, the president directed them to identify the "bad ones" to DHS for deportation.

NBC 7 asked the San Diego County Sheriff's Department if its policy regarding undocumented immigrants would change in light of the new executive order.

Being in the country without documentation is not a criminal act the sheriff's department will actively enforce, according to an official statement.

"Deputies will not stop or detain a subject to check their documentation or immigration status based on the appearance of foreign ancestry alone," the statement reads. "Whether they are a victim or a witness to a crime, we do not want our immigrant residents to be afraid to call the Sheriffs Department."

However, deputies will continue to cooperate with federal authorities and with regards to undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Read the full statement at the bottom of the article.

Maricela Amezola, an immigration rights lawyer with Amezola Legal Group, said that going forward, the situation will be "a clash of laws."

Its going to be really interesting to see how we have the federal law coming in and we have the state law saying were going to protect individuals already here, whats going to trump what, Amezola said.

On Friday, DHS Secretary John Kelly visited the San Ysidro Port of Entry and met with federal and local law enforcement officers to discuss security along the border. San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman and Sheriff Bill Gore attended the briefing.

At one point, the new DHS Secretary said he couldn't define a sanctuary city, which the president has targeted for withdrawal of federal funding for refusing to cooperate with immigration authorities.

"I don't have a clue," Kelly told Chief Zimmerman when she asked for a definition.

The blunt-spoken, retired four-star general went on to say it was inconceivable why any jurisdiction wouldn't want criminals removed from their communities. "I'm stunned when people say, 'Well, we're not going to cooperate with you even in the event of convicted criminals," he said.

Kelly said it would be difficult to justify immigration enforcement grants to cities that refuse to cooperate.

"I promise you we'll work with you and will make no Draconian moves until I fully understand what a given locale might be doing or not doing," he told Zimmerman and other local police chiefs and sheriffs.

Both Zimmerman and Gore have said their officers and deputies would not act as federal agents when investigating crimes.

"It is important that all residents in our jurisdiction, whether here legally or not, feel safe when they report crime and that there is a clear separation between our duties and those of immigration authorities," the sheriff's department statement reads.

Esther Valdes, an attorney specializing in immigration with Valdes and Associates, says the executive order and its enforcement could lead to confusion.

Sheriffs dont know if theyre going to be sued for civil rights violations in light of the new executive order asking them to, in effect, be deputized and assist immigration officers," Valdes said. "Sheriffs dont know if they should comply, and if they comply, will they be sued?

She and Amezola differ on whether the presidential order creates a moral dilemma for law eforcement officers and agencies.

Its never a moral judgment when you put on the badge, when you put on the badge and the uniform you represent all of us, you vow to protect and serve all of us, whether documented or undocumented," Valdes said.

Through spokesperson Lt. Scott Wahl, the San Diego Police Department said its policy regarding immigration enforcement has not changed.

The SDPD "recognizes and values diversity of the community it serves. The department focuses primarily on crime prevention and enforcing local laws," Wahl said in a written statement.

"Once a suspect is arrested and booked into the San Diego County Jail, the primary responsibility for the enforcement of federal immigration laws rests with the United States Customs and Border Protection Services," the statement continued. "The San Diego Police Department does not check the immigration status of victims and witnesses of crimes to encourage all people to come forward, confident in the knowledge their report will be investigated thoroughly and professionally."

A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol told NBC 7 Friday the agency "does not stop motorists or take enforcement actions based on someones immigration status.

Amezola said that in light of the president's executive order, she has seen humanitarian factors involved diminish.

What weve seen is that the humanitarian factor has been lifted, taken away from a lot of these agencies that they had before," she said. "Which is a contrast between the Obama administration and the new administration; the law is still the same, it hasnt changed, but there were more humanitarian factors that were allowed to weed out the good from the bad.

So what does all this mean for undocumented immigrants with and without criminal records in San Diego?

Amezola explained that when people are apprehended by immigration officials, they have rights, like asking for some type of relief in immigration court.

Other people have the ability to adjust their status and they might not even know it," said Amezola. "At this point its no longer feasible for people to stand by and wait to see what happens, they have to more proactive."

Criminal illegal aliens wreak havoc in some of our communities, we have to balance that with the need to have victims and community members cooperate with law enforcement agencies," Valdes said. "I think America functions best when we all perform jobs and our duties correctly to maintain and uphold our laws.

Both Valdes and Amezola come from immigrant families, and both are experts on the law, but in this uncertain time, they are not sure how local law enforcement will proceed.

Both attorneys have very different views on what may be ahead in enforcing the president's order.

There was some type of discretion allowed to say yes to these immigrants and no to these -- that is (now) gone, said Amezola.

Valdes said immigrants come here because we want to be safe."

"I come from an immigrant family myself, I came here when I was 5 years old, we come here because the nations we come from dont uphold the laws and we like law and order just like anybody else, she said.

Read the full statement from the SDSO:

"On January 25, 2017, President Trump signed two Executive Orders dealing with the issue of immigration enforcement. Those orders discussed a number of actions including one directing the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the consent of State or local officials, to authorize State and local law enforcement to perform the functions of immigration officers in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens in the United States.

"Federal immigration law governs legal and illegal immigration into the United States, including how long a person can stay, and when they must leave. Federal immigration agencies and officials have primary jurisdiction and responsibility for the enforcement of immigration laws in San Diego County.

"The Sheriffs Department has a long history of working in cooperation with Federal authorities both in our law enforcement practices and in our jails. Sheriffs Department personnel work hand in hand in Task Force settings with Federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. For a number of years we have also shared information related to criminal immigrants in our jails.

"Task Force operations in San Diego combine Federal agents and local law enforcement officers in the same work space with the same mission and goals. This cooperation and coordination is a highly effective way to share resources and information which has proven to be the best way to fight gangs, drugs, violence, human trafficking, cyber-crime and a number of other sophisticated operations.

"In a similar way, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Detention and Removal (ICE/DRO) are assigned to Sheriffs booking facilities for the purpose of conducting screenings and interviews of those suspected of violating Federal Immigration laws. These are criminal aliens who have committed serious crimes.

"When agents from ICE/DRO identify a Sheriffs inmate that they would like to deport for violations of Federal Immigration law; they notify our detentions staff. By law the Sheriffs Department cannot hold an inmate past the time that their State crime violation permits without a court order or warrant. However, we do notify ICE/DRO of release information in order for that agency to take custody of the person. That inmate is also notified of the Sheriffs intent to comply with the ICE/DRO request.

"The Sheriffs Department is not responsible nor do we have the authority or manpower to enforce immigration law. It is important that all residents in our jurisdiction, whether here legally or not, feel safe when they report crime and that there is a clear separation between our duties and those of immigration authorities. Sheriffs deputies will not stop or detain a subject to check their documentation or immigration status based on the appearance of foreign ancestry alone. Whether they are a victim or a witness to a crime, we do not want our immigrant residents to be afraid to call the Sheriffs Department.

"The Sheriffs Department will continue to cooperate and collaborate in regional task forces operations and by allowing Federal authorities into our jails as it complies with existing state and federal law. We will also continue to separate ourselves from immigration enforcement which in the larger picture helps to keep our communities safer by allowing victims and witnesses to come forward without fear of deportation.

Published at 9:01 AM PST on Feb 14, 2017 | Updated at 10:41 AM PST on Feb 14, 2017

Original post:
Deporting Undocumented Immigrants in San Diego, How Will The President's Plan Playout in San Diego - NBC 7 San Diego

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. --There are lines of people at the Mexican consulate Tuesday, as more Mexicans in Kansas City seek documentation in the wake of a federal crackdown on illegal immigration.

There's a lot of concern, and even some fear, among Spanish-speaking folks who live and work in the metro area.

"We are in permanent contact with ICE in order to get consular access to those arrested who are Mexican nationals, to make sure they are respected with due process of law," said Alfonso Navarro-Bernachi, head Mexicanconsul in Kansas City.

The consulate confirms that about 20 Mexican nationals have been arrested in the Kansas City region for deportation by federal immigration and customs enforcement agents.

The consulate provides Mexican nationals with passports and birth registrations for children who have been born in the United States to Mexican parents.

If a family returns to Mexico, those documents are needed for children to attend school.

"We are encouraging the Mexican community living here to be prepared and to be conscious of the different situations that they may face," Navarro-Bernachi said. "So in case they want to return voluntarily to Mexico or they are put into an immigration proceeding,that they have the proper documents, particularly for birth registration and Mexican documents, to facilitate a return to Mexico."

The consulate offers immigration advice and hires lawyers to help immigrants who want to stay.

The Mexican government also has activated a national call center for the Mexican community, so anyone detained can request consular contact to ensure they receive due process. The phone number is: 1-855-463-6395.

Federal authorities say 235 foreign nationals have been arrested lastweek in six Midwestern states, including Kansas and Missouri. The agency says most had criminal records.

39.099727 -94.578567

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Mexican consulate sees long lines as more people seek documents following illegal immigration crackdown - fox4kc.com

A Border Patrol agent at the fence along the border between the United States and Mexico on the outskirts of Nogales, Ariz., on Sept. 22, 2016. (Tomas Munita/New York Times)

Need an example of a border wall that works? Look to Israel, President Donald Trump has repeatedly said.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., echoed the idea during a Feb. 3 CNN interview, claiming that a border fence in Israel has drastically cut illegal immigration along its southern border.

"Israel ... had a real problem with illegal immigrants coming in from the southern border, about 16,000 in one year. In two years, they constructed 143-mile fence, about $2.9 million per mile, and it cut that illegal immigration rate from about 16,000 to I think 18. Cut it by 99 percent," Johnson said.

The United States needs to pay attention to Israel and how it has handled security issues, Johnson said.

"They are under a constant state of threat. Threat of terrorism. They've dealt with it pretty effectively. We need to learn those lessons," Johnson added.

Since Trump has signed an executive order to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, we were curious about references to Israels border efforts and their success, as described by Johnson.

Heres what we found.

Israel-Egypt border fence

Israel has built multiple barriers along its borders with Egypt, Lebanon, Gaza Strip and West Bank, all as safeguards against terrorism and illegal immigration.

In 2015, we looked into a claim from another Wisconsin official, Gov. Scott Walker, when he said that a 500-mile fence between Israel and the West Bank was to thank for a 90 percent reduction in terrorist attacks in Israel. Experts then told us that even though there had been a drop in terrorism, the data used for Walkers analysis was outdated and the fence was only one reason for the decline.

Johnson was specifically talking about a fence along the Israeli-Egyptian border.

Johnsons team referred us to a January 2013 article in the Jerusalem Post about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touring a completed 143-mile fence along the Sinai border. The article noted that an additional 8 miles of fencing was still to be completed along mountainous terrain near Eilat. When fully completed, the fence would run from Kerem Shalom (where Sinai and Israel meet the Gaza Strip) to Taba on the Red Sea, according to the article.

Fence construction started in November 2010 and came with a price tag of 1.6 billion Israeli shekels, the Jerusalem Post reported. The senator's office saidan Israeli official told Johnson that the fence cost $415 million during a tour while Johnson was in Israel. (The Wall Street Journal in January 2013 pegged the fences cost at $416 million.)

To determine a $2.9 million cost per mile, Johnson divided $415 million into the 143 completed miles cited in the 2013 article. (The cost per mile goes down to about $2.7 million when factoring in the total project of about 150 miles.)

So Johnson appears largely correct about the cost of the wall. How about its success in keeping people trying to cross the border illegally out?

That number checks out, too.

This month, Johnson, who chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, released a report titled "Securing Israel: Lessons learned from a nation under constant threat of attack." The report came after a trip Johnson made to Israel where he met the Israeli prime minister and other security officials.

The report notes that the number of people illegally crossing the Israel-Egypt border was more than 16,000 in 2011 and less than 20 in 2016, a 99 percent decrease.

Netanyahu recently touted his countrys southern barrier and gave a nod to Trump, tweeting on Jan. 28, "President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea."

Experts we reached out to agree that illegal immigration along Egypts southern border has indeed significantly dropped in the years after the fence was built and that Johnson's assessment of its costs and timeframe are sound.

However, they warn against generalizing that the fence is the sole reason for the drop and raise objections in comparing Israels border issues to those in the United States.

The success of barriers such as a wall or fence depend on their scale and how heavily guarded they are, said Reece Jones, a political geography professor at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa and who has written about money spent on border security projects and their consequences.

On a small scale and with many guards, walls can effectively stop movement, Jones said.

But Israel and the United States southern borders are significantly different.

The Israel-Egypt border fence is about 150 miles.

The U.S.-Mexico border is nearly 2,000 miles.

Terrain conditions and number of agents needed to monitor the border are not comparable either, Jones said.

"Most of the Israeli fence goes through open, arid terrain. Easy to access, easy to build, easy to monitor with agents," Jones said.

The U.S.-Mexico border, on the other hand, includes very remote, mountainous terrain and spans the length of four states with cities closely intertwined with Mexico. Trump has said that border has 1 million legal border crossings daily, which experts have told us include people traveling back and forth for school, work and shopping.

Investment in high-tech features such as drones, robots and sensors is also crucial for border security, not just fences, added Elisabeth Vallet, who leads a research team on border walls and is Raoul-Dandurand Chair at the University of Quebec at Montreal.

Without those features, people may still go undetected or go around through another border. If illegal entries surge at another border point, then the effectiveness of the fence at one border comes into question, Vallet said.

"While the numbers show a dramatic decrease in the number of entries, the amount of credit attributed to the fence is an issue of serious debate in Israel," said Yonatan Jakubowicz, director of research and public relations at the Israeli Immigration Policy Center, an NGO in Israel.

Some were skeptical about the fences effectiveness when the idea was introduced in 2009, but the barrier received wider support after a terrorist attack on the border road in August 2011, Jakubowicz said.

He also said that aside from the fence, additional policies have reduced illegal immigration.

The number of illegal border crossings decreased drastically "in an extremely short time" after the implementation of an "Anti-Infiltration Law" in mid 2012, Jakubowicz said.

Under the law, individuals caught illegally entering Israel could be detained for up to three years, Jakubowicz said. The number of people illegally crossing Israels southern border decreased after the law came into effect, even though the fence was not fully completed, he said.

"The fact that people continued to arrive even after the total completion of the fence, with fluctuations, proves that a barrier makes illegal migration more difficult, but not impossible," Jakubowicz said. "Personal interviews and close inspection of migrant diaspora news outlets show that the combination of the fence and the immigration policies are to be attributed to these numbers, and not the fence alone."

Our ruling

Johnson said Israel cut its illegal immigration rate by "99 percent" by constructing a 143-mile fence along its southern border.

Israeli government data support Johnsons statement. However, experts say the fence alone is not responsible for the dramatic decrease in illegal immigration, policies have also deterred illegal border crossings. Border security experts also caution about comparing Israel and the United States southern borders -- the U.S.-Mexico border is much longer than the Israel-Egypt border, terrain conditions are different and more agents would be needed to monitor the U.S. border.

Johnsons statement is accurate, but needs additional information. We rate it Mostly True.

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Border fence in Israel cut illegal immigration by 99 percent, GOP senator says - PolitiFact