Fraudsters posing as immigration agents: authorities urge caution

Authorities in at least three states have arrested suspects posing as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, a common occurrence as the agency conducts sweeping raids to apprehend illegal immigrants, writes CNN.

Photo: Erin Alexis Randolph | Dreamstime.com

In South Carolina, Sean-Michael Johnson, 33, was charged with kidnapping and impersonating a police officer after he pulled over a group of Latino men on a Charleston County road. According to court records, Johnson is accused of “knowingly and unlawfully representing himself as an ICE agent and preventing an occupied vehicle from proceeding.”

The incident, which was recorded by one of the victims, occurred on January 29 on Sullivan's Island, near Charleston.

On the subject: Tens of thousands of US schoolchildren face deportation: what schools are doing

"You've been caught!" Johnson can be heard saying in the video. "You're from Mexico? You're going back to Mexico!"

The footage shows Johnson taking the driver's keys, mocking his accent and shaking the keys in his face. At one point, he tries to grab the driver's phone.

The driver calls his friend and addresses him in Spanish: “I don’t know, man, he said something about immigration.”

"Don't speak that fucking Latino in my fucking country!" Johnson yells, knocking the phone out of his hands.

"He's crazy. He's racist," one passenger comments in Spanish. (Judging by the video, he's also drunk. – Note.)

Johnson also faces charges of petty theft and assault and battery. In court on February 1, a public defender said Johnson was extremely remorseful for his actions.

The defendant was released on bail over the weekend and during a court hearing on February 1, his family asked the judge to take into account Johnson's mental health issues, noting that "he has been getting help but needs to continue therapy."

An ICE spokesman said Wednesday, Feb. 5, that impostors who commit such acts could face federal and local criminal charges.

“ICE employees and agents are highly trained and dedicated professionals who are sworn to uphold the law, protect the American people, and maintain U.S. national security,” he said. “ICE strongly condemns any person impersonating its employees or agents.”

Hispanics in the US are very vulnerable right now

The founder and president of the Charleston Hispanic Association noted that cases of ethnic harassment of his fellow citizens are common.

"We hear a lot about Latin Americans being targeted. It happens every day," Enrique Grace said. "And this is not an isolated incident, it just happened to be caught on video. It's quite a sad sight."

Scammers have begun posing as ICE officers as the Donald Trump administration ramps up efforts to mobilize federal government resources to arrest and detain illegal immigrants in the United States.

To bolster immigration operations, the administration has deployed troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, used military aircraft to deport migrants detained at the border, and deployed personnel from various federal agencies, including elements of the Justice Department.

“Immigrants have always been a target for scammers. What makes it worse is that vulnerable people now see ICE agents everywhere,” said Nikki Marin Baena, co-director of Siembra NC.

This North Carolina-based grassroots organization works to support Latino communities. Siembra NC creates and distributes multimedia educational materials, including graphics and videos, and hosts “know your rights” events throughout the state to educate Latino residents on how to identify real federal law enforcement officers from impostors.

College student accused of impersonating someone else

Another impostor has been arrested in Philadelphia, with police charging a Temple University student with impersonating an ICE officer on campus. The incident, which occurred on the evening of February 1, involved three people, two of whom were wearing T-shirts that read “Police” and “ICE.” According to Temple, the three were attempting to enter a dorm on campus.

When they were thrown out of there, they went to one of the local drinking establishments to cause trouble.

Philadelphia police arrested 22-year-old Aidan Stiegelman on charges of impersonating a government employee. The university said he has been suspended. Two other suspects fled the scene in a light-colored SUV, according to Philadelphia police.

“The uncertainty of the current moment has fueled rumors that spread quickly through social media,” Temple University President John Frye said Feb. 5. “Please know that neither the Temple University Department of Public Safety nor the Philadelphia Police Department have reported the presence of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on campus.”

North Carolina Rapist Threatened Woman With Deportation

Meanwhile, in Raleigh, North Carolina, Carl Thomas Bennett was arrested on charges of impersonating an ICE officer and sexually assaulting a woman at a Motel 6. According to police reports, Bennett, 37, “threatened to deport the victim unless she had sex with him.” He produced a business card with an ICE logo on it.

The court refused to release Bennett on bail and appointed a public defender for him.

These cases highlight the importance of “safe space” principles, said Maribel Hernandez Rivera, director of border and immigration policy and government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

"It's important for immigrant communities to feel safe and able to contact law enforcement and report what's going on," Hernandez Rivera said.

She believes the Trump administration's immigration policies create fear and threaten public safety in all communities.

"The point of such a policy is to whip up fear, panic, chaos. That is their goal," she concluded.

Under the Trump administration, federal immigration authorities have been given the power to arrest people and conduct law enforcement operations near places like churches and schools, a departure from a longstanding policy of avoiding so-called sensitive areas.

Hernandez believes that changing this policy not only threatens public safety, but also discourages people who need help from law enforcement or health care workers.

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After watching the video, Hernandez Rivera said it further demonstrates the impact of White House policies not only on immigrant communities across the country, but on society as a whole.

“We see how the leadership at the very top dehumanizes immigrants, and this is what it leads to,” Hernandez Rivera concluded.

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