By Gordon Anderson | gordon@rantnc.com
Federal immigration operations reached the nearby Triangle area of North Carolina Tuesday, with activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents confirmed in both Raleigh and Durham.
The question of whether those operations would extend south to Lee County remains open, although many in the area are preparing as though they will.
Yanira Scott is the director of El Refugio, a local nonprofit that works with immigrant communities. Scott told The Rant that there was conflicting information about federal immigration authority vehicles in the area, but no reports of any arrests or detainments. Sources in both the Sanford Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said they’d received no contact from federal authorities about immigration operations in Lee County.
Meanwhile, Sanford Yoga & Community Center will host a “Know Your Rights” training session at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Hugger Mugger Brewing.
The free session will help attendees “learn what to do if you, a loved one, or a community member encounters ICE.”
Lee County Schools was unable to provide attendance data for Wednesday, but a spokesman said the absent rate for Tuesday (7.35 percent) was “not an unusual level for our district” at this time of year, and that school officials “have not noticed any significant changes in attendance patterns.”
“We want to assure our families and students that we are taking proactive steps to keep everyone in our schools informed and safe,” LCS Public Information Officer James Alverson said in a statement. “Our principals have received clear guidance on how to respond appropriately to any potential incidents involving immigration enforcement or similar situations. Our mission remains the same: to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment where every child feels valued and has the opportunity to learn and thrive. We are committed to supporting all of our students and families with care, dignity, and respect.”
Scott said people should remain calm, whatever happens, and she urged people to avoid making rash decisions based off incomplete information.
“We know this uncertainty can be overwhelming, but we must remain hopeful and continue supporting one another,” she said. “We encourage our families to stay connected, stay informed, and lean on our community networks. Together, we will continue working to keep our community safe and supported.”
Federal immigration authorities detained as many as 130 people during an operation in Charlotte that began over the weekend. Word began circulating about further operations in the Triangle beginning on Tuesday, and while some activity – including arrests – has been confirmed, the News & Observer reported Wednesday that operations in the area may have already been suspended.
Scott provided a number of resources for those who may need them:
Raleigh immigration attorney support
El Refugio can be reached at (919) 352-9709.
Come and get them all and deport them
They are here illegally. Take them.
Catch them and send them back home. Rents will go down, traffic will go down, insurance rates will go down.
If the shoe fits…
I personally would love to see law breakers taken off the streets…
The influx of illegals wreak havoc on all systems….. some may pay taxes but they certainly don’t spend all their pay locally… they take take take and don’t give back!
I hope that when it is all said and done that not one illegal walks among us!!! Come here legally and you will be welcomed with open arms otherwise you are a criminal and should have to live in fear 24/7.