BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Trump administration is cracking down on immigration in the United States.
Here's what we know:
- Operations are being carried out in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Colorado, Los Angeles and Miami.
- ICE is reporting almost 1,000 arrests and more than 500 detainments on Sunday.
Buffalo ICE covers 48 counties across New York State. According to posts on X from the White House and an interim chief patrol agent, three arrests have been reported in this region.
Congressman Nick Langworthy met with ICE officials in Buffalo and the Southern Tier on Tuesday.
"What I learned today with Buffalo ICE is that most of the national security risk apprehensions have been on the northern border, not the southern border," Langworthy said. "That's something we all, as people here in Western New York, need to keep in mind."
7 News has been asking federal officials for more information about these raids, but so far, no answers.
- "We're having a hard time getting in touch with ICE Buffalo. So is there anything that you can share regarding what we've seen in Western New York," I asked Langworthy.
- “In broad strokes, there’s an ongoing mission to go out of their way to get the people that are convicted criminals and people that are posing a national security risk—that is what the mission is," Langworthy answered.
Amid this nationwide crackdown, the New York State Department of Education said it's aware of an increased ICE presence in New York City. Langworthy assured the public that ICE raids would not happen at schools.
"It is not happening. It is absolutely not happening," he said. "That is not the mission that is being executed right now."
Rosanna Berardi, managing partner at Berardi Immigration Law, said her office has received a lot of calls since Trump's executive order.
"The amount of information and executive orders that came out in such a short span of time is unprecedented," Berardi said. "The general tone in terms of people calling and inquiring at the firm, people are concerned."
She explained that when someone is detained, there's a long process that follows.
"Just because somebody is picked up in a raid doesn't mean they're going home tomorrow," Berardi said. "It's a long, arduous process, especially if there's criminality involved."
Berardi also noted that the Trump administration's recent executive orders take a stronger approach to immigration enforcement.
"The message is very clear," she said. "There's going to be a very strong and aggressive approach to immigration law, one that has not existed in several years."