It is late at night in South Nashville and the seventh day of a week -long immigration Sweep here. Tennessee State Troopers, followed by federal ice officers in unark cars, ran in the deserted streets in this predominantly Spanish neighborhood. “Are you in Harding? Now – this white also went back there.” These are volunteers from the Remix Tennessee, a representation of interests of immigrants. They try to document and disrupt what they say is an unprecedented partnership between state strips and ICE agents. “Yes, it brings a lot of fear into the community. Like, I have conversations with the families of people who want to explore themselves because they do not want to experience what they have experienced.” Self-deviation is something that the Trump administration has promoted. It even started to offer charter flights and money to those who choose it. On this night, 24-year-old Gisselle Huerta and the 25-year-old Stephanie unfortunately arrive at the site of a traffic stop. “This car enters. It’s ice.” Here you see a Trooper vehicle of the state, and here you see an unmarked car with ice officers that are ready. “So they just crossed someone, and we came here and tried to find out why. Do you need something from us? You’re good? State stroopers cannot usually force immigration laws, and ICE agents cannot cover cars without a likely cause or an order. But this new strategy, which called the highway patrouille a cooperative public safety operation, has led to routine traffic stops ended in immigration arrests. That is exactly what happened to Ana and her fiancé, who both have no papers. She asked to stay anonymous for fear of deportation. “So when he persuades us, I ask him:” Why do you persuade us? “And everything he says is,” Your shades are too dark. ” He did not ask us for IDs. He didn’t ask us for the car. The next thing you know, we are surrounded by cars. There are flashlights in our faces. “Ana said that no quote was given and that she was taken into custody by ice. She was held in a cell for hours. “More than 20 in each because there is no space. There is only one bathroom. They start to have us processed one by one. If it took a long time. It’s hot there.” She was released and said she had given no reason. Ice has said that they focus on immigrants without papers with criminal registers. But Ana’s fiancé, who has no known criminal record, was arrested. He was sent to a detention facility in Louisiana. During our interview with her he called. “My son is afraid of everything that is generally going on. He thinks I don’t get home from work. People are afraid. Nobody wants to come out and I get it. They take someone.” During this one week operation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said it made 660 stops for traffic violations. Almost 200 of those stops resulted in immigration arrests, and only about half of them had earlier or pending criminal prosecution. In a statement to the Times, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said that the recent operation focused exclusively on maintaining the traffic laws of Tennessee, and that immigration actions were treated separately by federal authorities. Tennessee’s governor said that their role was to be a partner with ICE, that the operation was an attempt to remove criminals from the street. ICE called the operation a success. “This is what I call at home. I’ve been here for 27 years, as I said, and we’ve never seen anything like that. What I want people to know: they go to another state after this.”
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