Social media reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Columbus is prompting a response from city officials.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Columbus Division of Police personnel and other city officials held a press conference Thursday to discuss the reports of ICE arrests around the city. Social media sites like Reddit are being flooded with blurry photos with scant information, reporting ICE activity this week on I-670, near Cleveland Avenue on State Route 161 and outside English language learner schools.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed ICE is increasing operations, but stressed her department is not aiding the federal agency. In fact, city officials say federal officials aren't even communicating with the city.
ICE responded to WOSU late Thursday in a statement.
"ICE officers continue to arrest criminal illegal aliens and immigration violators in the city of Columbus, across Ohio, and throughout the United States. These enforcement actions are part of ongoing efforts to uphold public safety and enforce federal immigration laws," the statement said.
The agency didn't give any arrest totals or answer questions about the agency arresting people near area schools. Instead, it provided the names and photos of two convicted felons it arrested Wednesday from Somalia and El Salvador that ICE called "the worst of the worst."
Much of the information posted online hasn't been verified, and it's unclear to what extent ICE is operating in central Ohio.
Ginther said ICE's work is not needed.
"While some may say they're here to make Columbus safer, the fact is Columbus is already safe. We have not asked for and do not need this unwelcome intervention," Ginther said.
Ginther and the other officials praised and defended Columbus' immigrant community, specifically its impact on culture and the economy. He said the city won't help ICE, because it doesn't want to stoke fear and hatred.
"Hatred, xenophobia and bigotry are not tolerated in Columbus. Not in our government, not in our policing, not in neighborhoods, and not in political and public discourse," Ginther said.
The photos and video often show masked men in plain clothes, sometimes wearing vests that say "police" detaining people in parking lots or on the side of the highway. They are not driving marked police cars.
Bryant said CPD doesn't arrest people solely based on their immigration status and won't assist in any of these arrests unless it involved another crime.
Deputy Chief Robert Sagle said CPD's intelligence analysts have been monitoring the social media posts to get situational awareness of what ICE is doing.
Sagle said they didn't know what specific areas of the city are being targeted.
"A lot of them have been outside of the city of Columbus, in some of the townships, and some of those within the city of Columbus. It just gives us an idea of where they're at," Sagle said.
City officials like Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla criticized ICE for trying to arrest people as the holidays approach.
"This was deliberate. This is when people knew you would be out buying your holiday meals, buying holiday presents. Kids are about to be out of school. I think that this is a time for the community. If you don't feel safe, you should not leave your home," Barroso de Padilla said.
City Attorney Zach Klein called out ICE for reports nationally that the agents are wearing plain clothes, masks and not showing identification to the people who are arrested.
"Live up to the same standards of the Columbus Division of Police. We mark ourselves, we identify ourselves, we say police, we have badges. And if they lived up to the same standards that we would live up to, that we do live up to, then there'd be a lot more transparency in the process," Klein said.
Barroso de Padilla, Klein and others said the public should carry identification on them and seek out resources from groups like Community Refugee and Immigration Services. This includes "red cards," which are small business cards that give information on what someone's rights are, if they are detained by ICE.
Klein said people should seek out verified information and not post unverified information. Ginther said doing so could spread fear and misinformation.
