Nearly six months into President Donald Trump’s second term, the federal government’s immigration enforcement strategies in Southern Nevada have sparked increasing concern and confusion among local communities and advocacy groups.
With a campaign promise to conduct “the largest deportation program of criminals in the history of America,” President Trump’s administration initially reported significant numbers in immigration arrests and deportations.
In late April, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons reported figures of 66,463 immigration arrests and 65,682 deportations for Trump’s first 100 days of the term.
However, as weeks passed, clarity surrounding the impact of these policies in regions like Las Vegas remained elusive.
The federal government has declined to provide concrete data on how these figures break down on a regional level, nor did it comment on specific reports of enforcement operations in Las Vegas after the events had occurred.
Further complicating matters, Las Vegas was unexpectedly identified on a list by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants.
This designation carries the potential risk of withholding federal funds from local governments and has raised alarms among local officials and residents.
Local advocacy groups have been the primary sources of information regarding the enforcement climate in Southern Nevada, reporting increased federal activity, including traffic stops and arrests of migrants in various locations, including homes and outside immigration courts.
The UNLV Immigration Clinic reported the detainment of at least six asylum-seekers outside the downtown immigration court, which occurred shortly after the government sought to dismiss their cases.
These detainees had adhered to procedural requirements by attending their scheduled court hearings, yet found themselves surrounded by armed agents and placed in shackles.
In response to inquiries regarding these operations, the Department of Justice directed comments to the DHS, which claimed a commitment to transparency but emphasized operational security and the risks associated with disclosing ongoing enforcement activities.
DHS Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Often due to operational security and risks of undermining our intelligence, we cannot comment on ongoing or future enforcement operations.”
Chuck Muth, president of Citizen Outreach, a local conservative organization, expressed that illegal immigration has long been an issue and criticized the reliance on executive orders rather than legislative solutions.
Muth affirmed that he believes President Trump has been transparent in his approach, stating, “I think he’s been very transparent.
I don’t think anybody is very surprised that he’s doing what he said he was going to do.”
Despite this sentiment, local immigration attorneys have encountered significant obstacles in communicating with immigration authorities.
Alissa Cooley Yonesawa, managing attorney at UNLV’s Immigration Clinic, relayed that a communication breakdown started shortly before President Trump was re-elected.
Attorneys experienced a “cold shoulder” from federal counterparts, who emphasized that the attorneys were
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