In New York City, as many as 700 New York police officers and federal law enforcement agents swarmed residential neighborhoods of the Bronx Wednesday morning, arresting about 100 people in the largest mass arrest of suspected gang members in recent history. The massive operation included SWAT teams, police helicopters, and federal agents from the DEA, the U.S. Marshals and a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement known as HSI. Police say those arrested are part of two gangs that are linked to a number of murders. But some community members questioned the operation, especially the heavy involvement of ICE agents. Doris Salazar of the group ICE=Free NYC spoke out.

Doris Salazar: “If this was a local gang raid, then why were ICE and deportation officials involved in the first place? Local news is telling the story like this is exactly what Bronx residents needed. But, honestly, it seems very suspicious. We are a largely immigrant community. And, frankly, ICE does more to break up families and to create social unrest than the people who were arrested Wednesday morning in the raid.”