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El Carnaval de Puebla is an annual event in Philadelphia, but this year's parade has been canceled over fears of an immigration crackdown. (Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia)

PHILADELPHIA -- Organizers of an annual Cinco de Mayo festival in Philadelphia have canceled this year's celebration over fears of an immigration crackdown, according to a report by NBC10.

El Carnaval de Puebla usually attracts about 15,000 attendees, according to organizers, but recent reports of increased arrests of unauthorized immigrants led planners to cancel because of "the severe conditions affecting the immigrant community," officials told the station.

Reports of immigration raids and rumors of ICE checkpoints and sweeps have spread among immigrant communities nationwide in the last few months.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced this week that it had arrested 248 people in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia in the last two weeks.

The operation targeted "criminal aliens, immigration fugitives, re-entrants and other immigration violators," according to a press release issued by the agency.

This effort was part of "routine, daily targeted operations," the release states, adding that the agency does not conduct sweeps, checkpoints or raids that "target aliens indiscriminately."

President Donald Trump had called for immigration officials to deport undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds, but critics say that recent arrests have swept up others with no criminal backgrounds.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.