On Wednesday, advocacy organizations Mijente and Detention Watch Network released thousands of documents and a summary report with information from “Operation Mega,” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) nationwide raid that targeted at least 8,400 people. Shared under the name “ICE Papers,” the documents show that the agency worked with arrest quotas, and that agents at times used inappropriate language when discussing the raid.
“We’ve confirmed in government documents that ICE operations are politically motivated and not at all about national security, as the administration claims,” a summary of the report said. “In their own words, via plans and tactics we uncovered, you will catch a glimpse into their machinations to target, harass, and expel migrants from their communities.”
In a series of tweets, Mijente said that one ICE agent used derogatory language, telling colleagues, “Happy hunting.”
BREAKING: We’re releasing 1000s of docs & summary report detailing how ICE planned for the largest raid in their history. “Operation Mega”, planned to arrest at least 8,400 people in 2017 & involved all of ICE’s 24 field offices.https://t.co/wbmyocmGi3
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
The report is called: “Blueprint for Terror: How ICE Planned its Largest Immigration Raid”
One agent wished colleagues: “Happy Hunting” in advance of raids.
This is part of their effort to dehumanize us. We saw it revealed by the secret CBP Facebook page this week. pic.twitter.com/Q7HLvahq6H
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
Immigration raids are meant to terrorize communities & instill fear.
In 2017, ICE was planning a massive nationwide raid known as “Operation Mega.”
After exposure they changed plans but we wanted to know:What were the plan?
We recruited over 200 orgs to file FOIAs to find out.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
We wanted to find out how these instruments of terror work – info about the “operations, targets, tactics and coordination” practices between federal prosecutors and local police in large scale immigration raids.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
We wanted to find out how these instruments of terror work – info about the “operations, targets, tactics and coordination” practices between federal prosecutors and local police in large scale immigration raids.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
Here’s some of what we found:
ICE used arrest quotas & anyone suspected of being a noncitizen was a target for deportation
Although Operation Mega was the largest raid ICE HQ planned, they conducted multiple national operations in 2017 with the same plans.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
In this email agents make fun of the scale of the raids, and references Trump’s penchant for giving derogatory names to vindictive actions. pic.twitter.com/PLmj4vl2HU
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
ICE lawyers trained local agents on the 4the Amendment during massive operations. This presentation discusses surveillance, warrants, vehicle stops, vehicle pursuits, ruses, searches, phone searches and arrest procedures.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
ICE used arrest quotas and anyone suspected of being a noncitizen was a target for deportation. ICE HQ also sent local target quotas to local ICE Field Offices. To get higher numbers, agents were expected to arrest “collaterals” encountered in the operation.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
They generated a target list using a “myriad of sources” fes including some commercial vendors (i.e. private companies) that collect personal information like traffic tickets, license plates, or utility bills. pic.twitter.com/BRoRSQwWfw
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
Before the raids all officers were instructed to use @palantirtech‘s FALCON app. All ICE raids now use powerful tech and databases in the field. Palantir’s programs and databases, all hosted on @AWS, were integrated into all Operation MEGA/EPIC/CrossCheck planned raids.
— Mijente (@ConMijente) July 3, 2019
The documents also reveal that to meet arrest quotas, ICE detained anyone who the organization suspected was undocumented, at times expecting to arrest “collaterals.”
“While planning for the raid, ICE used immigration, criminal, and commercial databases to create ‘target lists,'” the summary noted. “First, ICE HQ with the help of the National Fugitive Operations Program’s National Criminal Alien Targeting Center (NCATC), set a minimum national arrest quota number of 8,400 people. The NCATC generated a target list using a ‘myriad of sources,’ including some commercial vendors (i.e., private companies) that collect personal information like traffic tickets, license plates, or utility bills.”
Image from one of the documents where in an email, an agent writes, “This is essentially a kitchen sink type list.” (Source: Mijente)
Another document also showed an email exchange where one agent responds, “It’s gonna be EPIC!” following a name change for the operation.
Email exchange between ICE agents. (Source: Mijente)
“While the documents detail information about raids planned back in 2017, we noted the ‘rinse-and-repeat’ nature of ICE’s operations and what we can expect, as Trump reignites the threat of more raids to come after July 4th,” Jacinta González, senior campaign organizer with Mijente, told The Daily Beast.
The documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, can be found here.
