Law enforcement anti-piracy operation confused by some for immigration raid
There was an anti-piracy law enforcement operation this afternoon in Minneapolis by federal customs agents. We sent La Prensa de Minnesota reporters to the scene at a mall on Lake Street and fourth Avenue in South Minneapolis after getting flooded with calls at our LCN media offices from people worried that there was an immigration raid going on.
We later confirmed that there was no immigration raid. This customs (part of ICE) law enforcement operation was looking for pirated products apparently being sold at businesses located at the Lake Street mall. This operation was part of a larger investigation and there probably be more law enforcement operations of this type, before it's over.
Our reporters did see a woman in handcuffs, when they went to the location of the operation. We got confirmation from a spokesman for ICE that this was a customs anti-piracy operation and that they had no immigration related purpose for the operation. We also got confirmation that 6 women and 4 men, that were working at the businesses where pirated products were allegedly being sold, were detained. No confirmation on whether they were employees or business owners. The people detained apparently are suspected of be undocumented, and may face immigration procedures.
We had Rigo Castro, our on air personality, explain on the air at our radio station La Invasora that this is NOT an immigration raid, that the operation at Plaza Lake is over, and that it's safe to go back to this location.
We need to remind people in our community to be careful when spreading rumors about immigration raids. Ninety five percent of calls we get about immigration raids in Minnesota, turn out to be false. Many were confused when they saw ICE in the back of jackets worn by the federal agents involved with the anti-piracy operation.
The truth is ICE has other areas of law enforcement they are involved with, including piracy and human trafficking among others. Rumors like this can send unnecessary panic to the community, as these rumors appear to be spread like wild fire. Please remember that there were several very small Latino owned business, barely surviving this recession, and that were not related to the piracy operation, that were seriously hurt today because of the panic this news is causing. Let's be sensitive to them. Apparently nobody that was not related to the piracy investigation was at risk.
I'll keep folks informed as things develop, and we'll have something in La Prensa this week and on the radio station La Invasora 1400 1470 as things develop.
We later confirmed that there was no immigration raid. This customs (part of ICE) law enforcement operation was looking for pirated products apparently being sold at businesses located at the Lake Street mall. This operation was part of a larger investigation and there probably be more law enforcement operations of this type, before it's over.
Our reporters did see a woman in handcuffs, when they went to the location of the operation. We got confirmation from a spokesman for ICE that this was a customs anti-piracy operation and that they had no immigration related purpose for the operation. We also got confirmation that 6 women and 4 men, that were working at the businesses where pirated products were allegedly being sold, were detained. No confirmation on whether they were employees or business owners. The people detained apparently are suspected of be undocumented, and may face immigration procedures.
We had Rigo Castro, our on air personality, explain on the air at our radio station La Invasora that this is NOT an immigration raid, that the operation at Plaza Lake is over, and that it's safe to go back to this location.
We need to remind people in our community to be careful when spreading rumors about immigration raids. Ninety five percent of calls we get about immigration raids in Minnesota, turn out to be false. Many were confused when they saw ICE in the back of jackets worn by the federal agents involved with the anti-piracy operation.
The truth is ICE has other areas of law enforcement they are involved with, including piracy and human trafficking among others. Rumors like this can send unnecessary panic to the community, as these rumors appear to be spread like wild fire. Please remember that there were several very small Latino owned business, barely surviving this recession, and that were not related to the piracy operation, that were seriously hurt today because of the panic this news is causing. Let's be sensitive to them. Apparently nobody that was not related to the piracy investigation was at risk.
I'll keep folks informed as things develop, and we'll have something in La Prensa this week and on the radio station La Invasora 1400 1470 as things develop.
posted by reportesur at 2:28 PM
0 comments
