ICE Conducts Criminal Enforcement Operation In Columbia Area

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Wednesday morning carried out a criminal enforcement operation in the Columbia area, authorities said.

Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said county police were not involved. However, she said police were notified ICE would be working in the area.

ICE officials declined to go into detail on the operation and did not say how many people were apprehended, but said agents prioritize "unlawfully present aliens" who have been convicted of a crime, have charges pending or are believed to be a national security or public safety threat.

"However, as the agency has made clear, ICE will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement," ICE spokeswoman Justine M. Whelan said in an email. "All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and – if found removable by final order – removal from the United States."

ICE ERO removes aliens from the US who are subject to a final order of removal or have been granted voluntary departure. ERO’s Removal Division coordinates, manages, and facilitates efforts to successfully remove aliens from the United States. https://t.co/x2CYzcSnxP pic.twitter.com/6b8732Z852 — ICE (@ICEgov) June 26, 2019

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball stressed police were not involved.

"I want to be clear, Howard County Police do not and will not assist ICE in the enforcement of civil violations of federal immigration laws," Ball said in a statement. "Officers in Howard County do not ask residents about their immigration status, nor do they contact ICE if they learn of a civil violation of federal immigration laws.

Baltimore is one of the cities where President Donald Trump warned of an immigration sweep. The president said Saturday the operation was scrapped to allow lawmakers to work out solutions for the southern border. However, administration officials said ICE leaders had reservations that officers' safety would be jeopardized because too many details had been made public.