In New York, ICE agents impersonate cops: what is happening

Brooklyn residents spotted agents ICE wearing police uniforms. This alarmed the locals and raised many questions for the agency. AT ICE has already commented on the incident. The details are shared by the publication Fox News.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been seen wearing NYPD uniforms. This has seriously alarmed some local residents, especially immigrants.

Cristian Benavides, PIX11News reporter, at Twitter posted footage confirming the presence of ICE agents posing as cops. “The video shows that a law enforcement agent in Brooklyn is wearing a NYPD jacket, but NYPD says they weren't there. The man who wears the NYPD jacket calls himself an ICE agent. For at least the second time in a week, ICE agents have reportedly impersonated New York City cops, ”reads the caption to the video.

BREAKING: Video shows law enforcement agent in Brooklyn wearing NYPD jacket, however NYPD says they weren't there.

The man who wears an NYPD jacket, identifies himself as ICE.

This is at least the second time in a week ICE agents reporting id themselves as NYPD. @PIX11News pic.twitter.com/l4YoySgnc1

- Cristian Benavides (@cbenavidesTV) October 11, 2020

ICE commented on the situation, stating that "the police" is "a universally recognized symbol of law enforcement in most cultures." “ICE officers were sworn in by federal law enforcement officials to enforce US immigration laws that Congress created to keep this country safe,” ICE said in a statement. “The word“ police ”is a universally recognized symbol of law enforcement in most cultures, which is an important distinction given that many of the individuals ICE interacts with are not native English speakers. Given the inherently dangerous nature of the work of ICE employees, their ability to quickly identify themselves as law enforcement officials could potentially mean the difference between life and death. "

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On October 10, the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, commented on the situation. “Based on the reports brought to my attention, I have asked ICE to order my agents not to declare or imply that they represent the NYPD. Such deceptive tactics threaten the public safety of all New Yorkers, ”the mayor said in a statement Twitter.

The next day, October 11, Brooklyn residents protested outside the 88th police station in Fort Green. They also claimed to have seen ICE officers in NYPD uniforms. One of the eyewitnesses, who wished to remain anonymous, said in Spanish: "They were shouting: 'ICE, police, open, or we will knock your door down."

A similar incident took place in Upper Manhattan. “They said, 'Hey, can you open the door? We're just the NYPD, we're from Precinct 34. We are not from ICE, ”said a young woman whose father, who has lived in New York for 30 years, has been detained.

NYPD said they had no record of these incidents.

“We see this happening at Fort Green. We see this happening in the north of Manhattan. We need answers, ”said Jorge Muniz Reyes, organizer of Sunset Park ICE Watch, a group that brings together community members and activists in South Brooklyn.