AUSTIN, TX – The Austin Police Department (APD) reportedly announced policy changes to their approach to collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), garnering mixed reactions from locals and elected officials.
Austin City Councilman Ryan Alter shared details on the revamped APD policy regarding ICE collaboration, which the aforesaid policy would now require APD officers to contact a supervisor if they would like to pursue referring a detained suspect over to ICE over suspected immigration violations.
While not a complete shutout between local police and federal immigration authorities, Councilman Alter noted the updated policy would serve as a means to focus on criminal illegal aliens being handed over to ICE, saying, “If the police had their structure down a little more, and if they are really criminal people that are like people who are raping children or who are thugs and everything like that. I think they have a right to do that.”
Josiah Pecina, a local Austin resident, supports the idea of APD collaborating with ICE as it pertains to serious offenders being handed over to the agency, saying, “I think there can be some changes towards that and their approach with everything.”
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican who represents Texas’ 10th congressional district, also supports collaborative efforts focusing on dangerous criminal illegal aliens while avoiding potential contentious, headline-generating arrests and incidents that portray ICE in a negative light.
“I still believe the American people want us to remove dangerous, violent criminals from the streets,” Rep. McCaul stated, adding, “but they don't want to see these images of children and people being dragged out of their cars and US citizens. Those excessive use of forces cases need to stop.”
Meanwhile, local anti-ICE activist Nikki Darden reads the updated policy as a step toward ICE being eradicated, saying, “I think that ICE needs to be abolished, and it feels good that we're heading in that direction.” Darden’s read of the updated policy is befuddling considering the fact the updated APD policy only introduces discretionary steps in referrals to ICE by local authorities and has nothing to do with the standing of the federal agency.
Austin City Councilman Ryan Alter shared details on the revamped APD policy regarding ICE collaboration, which the aforesaid policy would now require APD officers to contact a supervisor if they would like to pursue referring a detained suspect over to ICE over suspected immigration violations.
While not a complete shutout between local police and federal immigration authorities, Councilman Alter noted the updated policy would serve as a means to focus on criminal illegal aliens being handed over to ICE, saying, “If the police had their structure down a little more, and if they are really criminal people that are like people who are raping children or who are thugs and everything like that. I think they have a right to do that.”
Josiah Pecina, a local Austin resident, supports the idea of APD collaborating with ICE as it pertains to serious offenders being handed over to the agency, saying, “I think there can be some changes towards that and their approach with everything.”
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican who represents Texas’ 10th congressional district, also supports collaborative efforts focusing on dangerous criminal illegal aliens while avoiding potential contentious, headline-generating arrests and incidents that portray ICE in a negative light.
“I still believe the American people want us to remove dangerous, violent criminals from the streets,” Rep. McCaul stated, adding, “but they don't want to see these images of children and people being dragged out of their cars and US citizens. Those excessive use of forces cases need to stop.”
Meanwhile, local anti-ICE activist Nikki Darden reads the updated policy as a step toward ICE being eradicated, saying, “I think that ICE needs to be abolished, and it feels good that we're heading in that direction.” Darden’s read of the updated policy is befuddling considering the fact the updated APD policy only introduces discretionary steps in referrals to ICE by local authorities and has nothing to do with the standing of the federal agency.
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