By Jesse Jones
Bernalillo Police Chief Chris Stoyell briefed the Town Council at the Feb. 10 meeting on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) immigration enforcement policies, particularly Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations within the state.
Stoyell said the information came from a recent DHS meeting in Albuquerque, which briefed police chiefs from around the state.
“HSI assured us that they’re not going to be going to any schools, churches or hospitals to make any arrests unless a suspect enters one of those locations,” he said.
According to Stoyell, local law enforcement officers will serve only criminal warrants, not administrative ones. Bernalillo PD would be required to carry out a federal warrant but do not enforce civil warrants, which are typically used in deportation cases and handled by federal authorities.
He said DHS wanted to dispel myths that officers are making immigration arrests in the community, local law enforcement must participate, and victims or witnesses will be deported for reporting crimes.
“That’s not true,” Stoyell said. “They’re not going to be arrested for being a victim or a witness.”
HSI is prioritizing enforcement against violent gang members and serious criminals at this point.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security responsible for enforcing immigration laws, investigating transnational crimes and protecting national security.
According to ICE, it has two main divisions. Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) handles immigration enforcement, detention and deportation. Homeland Security Investigations targets criminal organizations involved in smuggling, fraud, cybercrime and other transnational crimes rather than routine immigration enforcement, which ERO manages.
Thank you for covering this objectively. There is so much disinformation circulating and fear mongering,