BOISE, Idaho (AP) — In a startling incident on October 19, as helicopters thudded overhead, Anabel Romero found herself on the ground with restrained hands, witnessing law enforcement officers removing her 14-year-old daughter from a vehicle at La Catedral Arena. This was part of a raid led by the FBI targeting illegal gambling that resulted in nearly 400 detentions, primarily for immigration violations.
In this operation, more than 200 officers from various agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local police, were deployed. Despite the investigation's focus on gambling, most arrests in the operation involved immigration offenses, a sign of the increasing overlap between immigration enforcement and other law enforcement activities.
Romero, uncertain about the identities of the officers handling her daughter, expressed her deep concern over the heavy-handed tactics employed during the raid. This operation reflects a disturbing trend wherein federal law enforcement agencies are directing significant resources towards immigration enforcement, often at the expense of community trust.
As the event unfolded, reports emerged of officers zip-tying children as young as eleven. Families described the chaos, with one 8-year-old boy getting hurt as his family vehicle's window was shattered in the fray. Witnesses recalled distressing scenes, including children being forcibly separated from their parents.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem denied that officers used restraints on children, though initial statements from FBI officials shifted, acknowledging that some young minors were restrained. Local leaders criticized these tactics, emphasizing that such operations should not endanger innocent families and community members.
John Carter, a security guard at the track who was also zip-tied, commented, “It’s okay to take your family to a public event. Just because there’s 10 people in a crowd doing something illegal, that doesn’t make everyone in that crowd illegal.” He voiced his opposition to the manner in which the operation was conducted, despite his own support for past policies supporting immigration enforcement.
As families began to process the chaotic events of the day, many reported ongoing trauma. Conditions during the detainment were troubling, with several parents stating their children were left in distressing circumstances for extended periods. Questions remain over the methods used by law enforcement and how these might affect community relations moving forward.
This incident starkly demonstrates the growing entanglement between immigration enforcement and criminal investigations, raising vital discussions about civil rights and community safety in the context of law enforcement practices in America.
