SAN ANTONIO – Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were seen detaining people in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday morning.
KSAT crews saw two charter buses parked outside the San Antonio Immigration Court at 800 Dolorosa Street.
Witnesses said agents, who were in clothing that did not identify themselves as law enforcement, were detaining those who left the building.
It’s a scene that’s played out in several cities across the country.
Arrests are extremely rare in or immediately near immigration courts, which are run by the Justice Department. When they have occurred, it was usually because the individual was charged with a criminal offense or their asylum claim had been denied.
Witnesses also said they saw agents detaining people at the nearby La Quinta motel.
A woman told KSAT that her 21-year-old son was taken away in handcuffs.
She said that he had come for his court appearance and had been assigned a court date for November. Upon leaving, he was detained.
“I don’t understand why he was taken,” the woman told KSAT in Spanish.
The woman said her son arrived in the U.S. from Cuba around nine months ago.
KSAT reached out to ICE and asked how many people were detained and why they were being arrested.
An ICE spokesperson responded with the following statement:
“Secretary Noem is reversing Biden’s catch and release policy that allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens to be let loose on American streets. This Administration is once again implementing the rule of law.
Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.
If they have a valid credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation.”
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