Federal immigration officers arrested over 280 immigrants in Ohio between Dec. 16 and 21, officials announced Thursday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “Operation Buckeye,” a focused enforcement operation in Columbus and surrounding areas, led to the arrests. Only one day has passed since Columbus residents protested local ICE operations by marching from the Statehouse to City Hall.
Related posts
Wednesday night, Columbus advocates organized a protest and candlelight memorial in memory of Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minnesota hours before. On Wednesday, Columbus activists told NBC4’s Samantha Bender that the shooting had left them feeling outraged, afraid, and traumatized.
The video captured the shooting, sparking conflicting views from officials and members of the public. ICE and the White House claimed it was an act of self-defense after alleging Good drove a vehicle at the officer. The mayor of Minneapolis and the governor of Minnesota stated Good did not appear to be attempting to harm the officer, who they claim shot his firearm illegally.
Central Ohio protestors met again Thursday night to oppose ICE, which had a large presence in Columbus in mid-December. On Thursday, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security and Ohioan Tricia McLaughlin provided additional perspective on ICE in Ohio.
McLaughlin said federal officers were in Ohio from December 16 to 21 for Operation Buckeye. Columbus residents were aware when ICE launched its targeted immigration operation in the city, but it was not previously announced when or if Operation Buckeye would end.
“Operation Buckeye resulted in the arrest of more than 280 illegal aliens, including criminals convicted of assaulting a police officer, criminal firearm possession, and drug trafficking,” McLaughlin said. “Thanks to our law enforcement, Ohio neighborhoods are safer with these criminals behind bars where they belong.”
When asked on Thursday, a representative for the mayor’s office stated that ICE is not in communication with Columbus police; thus, they are not aware of federal immigration enforcement actions. Also on Thursday, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant stated that, outside of a permanent ICE field office in Westerville, she was not aware of any federal law enforcement agents in Columbus.
“We do not communicate with them,” Bryant said. “They do not let us know when they’re coming, when they’re gone. We just simply get information through social media, through other aspects as well.”
In its Thursday release, the Department of Homeland Security emphasized some of the arrests made in Ohio, describing them as the “worst of the worst.” Undocumented immigrants with a history of assault, severe assault, and domestic violence were among those arrested.
Others apprehended do not appear to have a criminal background, according to a study of Butler County jail records, where the majority of Operation Buckeye detainees are held. Because many detainees appeared to have no prior offenses, the numerous agencies and locations made locating documents and identifying any filed charges impossible.
The Ohio Immigrant Alliance said that few of the 214 inmates apprehended during Operation Buckeye had criminal backgrounds. According to Ohio Immigrant Alliance researcher John Drury, 80% of the 214 arrestees were Latino, with 93% being men.
