Could You Be Affected? Immigration Raids May Sweep Up Non-Violent Undocumented Immigrants

NEW YORK —

Undocumented immigrants who are not wanted for criminal activity may be swept up in raids playing out across the tri-state area, a federal official confirmed to PIX11 News.

Frank Tarantino, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in New York, told PIX on Politics the goal is to remove “the most violent illegal criminals from our city streets.”

President Donald Trump has ordered all federal law enforcement, including the DEA, to work cooperatively on deportations.

Tarantino also explained what would happen if agents go to a building looking to arrest a violent criminal and encountered a different undocumented person.

“In those instances, we will do our job and make sure we carry out the responsibilities we are given under Title 8 to hold them accountable,” Tarantino said.

“In doing that we will work with ICE and our ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) counterparts to process them and put them through this administrative removal process.”

Undocumented people living and working in New York City in peace getting swept up in these immigration raids has been a top concern even for officials like Gov. Kathy Hochul.

ICE and Homeland Security Intensify Immigration Arrests Across Michigan!

The governor supports the removal of violent criminals in the country illegally, but she added Friday:

“I’m afraid about kids not going to school now because they’re worried about their parents being swept up in some raid. I’m afraid about people not going to their churches and worship. This troubles me deeply as the governor of New York.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said the NYPD will continue to cooperate with federal authorities when it comes to the arrest of violent criminals here illegally, and he does not view that as a violation of New York City’s “sanctuary city ” status.

Following Tarantino’s statement, PIX11 connected with a spokesman for City Hall. He said that if a raid led to the detention of a non-criminal undocumented person, the NYPD would not participate in that portion of the raid.

He said NYPD officers would not block the federal officials from making the arrest, that it would be against federal law.