HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Federal illegal immigration raids are ongoing and will be expanded around the country according to the Trump administration.
Border Czar Tom Homen says they are targeting illegal immigrants who are known criminals.
The raids are being closely watched by members of the local Latino community.
28/22 News has been receiving information that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out raids in our area, but we have not been able to confirm those reports.
On Tuesday, 28/22 News spoke with an immigration attorney who says illegal immigrants who are not convicted of crimes have "due process rights under the law."
Dozens of illegal immigrants detained and deported were sent back to their home countries.
Attorney George Barron from Wilkes-Barre specializes in immigration law.
"In these cases, they are people who have been detained for serious crimes and have been ordered removed by an immigration judge, or these are folks who were caught crossing the border illegally, so they can be sent home without any due process," Barron explained.
But what about those illegal immigrants, or are rounded up in these federal raids, who are not known criminals, but entered the United States illegally and remained in the country?
"They have due process rights to have a hearing before an immigration judge. They can apply for many forms of relief. They can apply for asylum. They can apply for withholding of removal. They can apply for adjusted status if they have a basis to adjust their status," Barron continued.
"Everyone is concerned right now with what's going on with ICE," Dominican House of Hazleton President Victor Perez said.
The Dominican House of Hazleton provides a wide of services to immigrants from Latin America, most of whom come from the Dominican Republic.
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Those services include helping them become US Citizens.
He says he's concerned about immigrants who are here illegally but are not convicted criminals.
"People say when you are an undocumented immigrant, they are in the country illegally, they should not be in the court for whatever reason. Should they not be deported?" 28/22 News Reporter Andy Mehalshick asked.
"Right now, according to the law, they have to be deported because if you're illegal, you have to be deported. But we have to follow the procedures. We got legal procedures they have to follow," Perez stated.
Perez agrees that criminals should be deported, but that other illegal immigrants should be given the right to "due process" under the law.
