While federal raids on a local sports bar chain this week drew attention for potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, local groups tracking such activity said they have been ongoing in the Valley for a while along with a recent uptick.
Jose Patino, vice president of education and external affairs for Phoenix-based immigrant support organization Aliento, said the agency’s clients have reported a considerably larger ICE presence in the Valley for the past couple of months.
“We have seen an increase of ICE activity and build up in the last two months, and in the last couple weeks especially here with the operation at the 15 Zipps locations,” Patino said. “In the last two months, we have seen more agents across the Valley and more people getting arrested.”