LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Following a week marked by nationwide protests, discussions around immigration policy have surged back into the public spotlight, particularly in Southern Nevada.
President Donald Trump has recently called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to intensify deportation efforts, focusing primarily on Democratic cities.
Amid these developments, a wave of demonstrators took to the streets in Las Vegas, urging attention to what they describe as unlawful immigration tactics.
“It is up to us to remind people that the Constitution is not a suggestion,” stated one protester, encapsulating the sentiments shared by many.
Immigration attorney Kathia Quiros Medina addressed these concerns, emphasizing that immigration officials are bound by a legal framework that has remained unchanged for nearly 30 years.
“It is important to understand that we have the same immigration laws since 1997. They haven’t changed… this deportation process is what we call due process,” Quiros Medina explained.
However, she pointed out that recent directives from the White House have altered how ICE implements enforcement, often bypassing established due process protocols.
“The government has decided that immigrants who are undocumented are no longer entitled to this deportation process… it is not right,” Quiros Medina asserted.
A significant legal issue she highlighted is ICE’s methods for identifying individuals for detention, which could potentially lead to racial profiling.
“They are just going after the idea that this person might be undocumented… and that is called racial profiling… it’s against the law,” Quiros Medina noted.
She stressed that probable cause should be the legal standard for all arrests.
“The law is probable cause… probable cause, it’s never gonna be racial profiling,” she added.
Another protester echoed these principles, stating, “What ICE is doing—grabbing people off the street without due process—that is not OK.”
The immigration enforcement landscape in Las Vegas has come under scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Earlier this month, DHS classified Las Vegas as a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” a designation contested by local officials, including the governor, mayor, and sheriff.
Subsequently, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced it was pursuing a partnership with ICE concerning undocumented immigrants within the jail system.
According to DHS’s official website, this partnership is now in place.
Protesters at the “No Kings” demonstrations expressed that their frustration is rooted not in opposition to law enforcement, but in the defense of basic rights.
“I am a U.S. citizen. I was born in Mexico… we deserve respect. We deserve to be here as much as anyone else,” one participant remarked.
Conversely, there are advocates for stricter immigration enforcement who maintain that strong actions are necessary.
“Because we’ve never been in this place before in the history of America. So I’m pro-ICE, and anything that takes care of America and our vets,” one such individual commented.
The ongoing debate surrounding immigration, law enforcement, and due process is likely to persist, with many voices in Las Vegas and beyond emphasizing a fundamental expectation:
“Everybody in America, if you get arrested — you go to court,” summarized one protester.
Amid conflicting messages regarding immigration policy, President Donald Trump has signaled both a desire to increase mass deportations in Democratic cities and an awareness that such policies may negatively impact crucial sectors like agriculture and hospitality due to the removal of longstanding workers.
As discussions continue, the clarity on upcoming changes remains uncertain.
image source from：https://www.ktnv.com/news/immigration-attorney-explains-legal-concerns-as-trump-calls-to-widen-deportation-efforts-in-democratic-cities
