Evansville residents believe they saw ICE operating in mobile home park
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - On Tuesday, the Evansville Police Department and the Vanderburgh Co. Sheriff’s Office, confirmed ICE is conducting Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in the Evansville and Vanderburgh County area.
Both agencies say they did not help with the operation.
While an exact location for those operations was not provided, many viewers reached out to 14 News about areas where they believe they saw ICE.
One of those places included the Pleasant Ridge Mobile Home Park just east of Oak Hill Road.
14 News Haley Kerby spoke with several people who live at the mobile home park who say they saw what they believe was ICE arresting someone early this morning.
Craig Hammond has lived in the park for ten years, he said, “I believe they’re here in the community today to collect the illegal peoples that are here that aren’t supposed to be.”
Ring camera from his home, shows a line of cars, including several black SUV’s and a silver mini van, enter the complex. About 20 minutes later, those same cars are seen leaving.
Another man, Jorge Luis Mesa-Rivera, lives in the park too and only speaks Spanish. 14 News Robinson Miles is fluent in the language and helped translate. Mesa-Rivera says he also believes ICE was in the area.
“I believe they’re searching for undocumented people to deport them,” said Mesa-Rivera.
To some, they believe undocumented people live in the park and should not.
“I’m not 100% sure but I feel there are illegals out here,” said Hammond, “I thought it was a great thing, I hope they clean this community up this whole area. I know its been a constant problem with them across the United States.”
Others say differently.
“The only bad thing I find is that working people, that are working and are good people, you’re challenging them,” said Mesa-Rivera, “If they’re delinquents, that are in gangs, I’m in agreement, I applaud it. But if they’re people who are working and are contributing to the country, I think it’s bad.”
This operation comes as the Trump Administration has continued to push for stricter border control. A widely debated topic across the county.
“Them letting those major felons come over here it’s wrong, they need to up their game on getting them out of here,” said Hammond, “if you want to be here the right way, that’s fine, come the right way. Stop crossing the borders, it’s getting bad. I hope that ICE really cleans up this community not just our area but the whole United States.”
Mesa-Rivera feels differently.
“I would ask President Trump, and I’m a supporter of his, but to lower his guard a bit. With the undocumented who are good, who aren’t delinquents, who are healthy and hard-working, that he takes consideration of those people,” said Mesa-Rivera.
It is not confirmed whether those vehicles were in fact ICE. No ICE arrests have been confirmed from Tuesday either. 14 News reached out to ICE several times Tuesday and have yet to hear back from the agency.
You can check the status of an individual in ICE custody, here.
[Previously: ICE taking custody of more inmates in Vanderburgh Co.]
We’ll keep you updated.
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