{"id":1004409,"date":"2026-08-16T12:35:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T12:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1004409\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T12:35:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T12:35:40","slug":"advocates-accuse-hardware-store-chain-of-cooperating-with-ice-following-detention-of-man-in-houston-area-houston-public-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1004409\/","title":{"rendered":"Advocates accuse hardware store chain of cooperating with ICE following detention of man in Houston area \u2013 Houston Public Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\"FIEL<\/a><\/p>\n

Kyle McClenagan\/Houston Public Media<\/p>\n

FIEL Houston executive director Cesar Espinosa speaks at a press conference near a Home Depot in Houston on Aug. 14, 2026.<\/p>\n

A small number of immigration advocates gathered near a hardware store parking lot in southwest Houston on Friday morning, holding signs that said, “ICE out of The Home Depot. Protect our communities!”<\/p>\n

The group of activists was holding a rally and news conference organized by FIEL Houston \u2014 a Houston-based immigrant rights nonprofit \u2014 accusing Home Depot of being complicit in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s increased arrests<\/a> under the Trump administration. <\/p>\n

Speaking to reporters, FIEL Houston executive director Cesar Espinosa alleged Home Depot cooperates with ICE. <\/p>\n

Sign up for the Hello, Houston!<\/a> daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n

“They’ll discourage workers from standing here, as you can see,” Espinosa said, pointing at large rocks situated around the business’ parking lot. “But if it comes to ICE, they almost invite them to come in and do these types of work.”<\/p>\n

The accusations against Home Depot come less than a week after 54-year-old Juan Francisco Monroy Turuy was detained by ICE near a different Home Depot location<\/a> near Houston.<\/p>\n

According to the Houston Police Department (HPD), Monroy Turuy was detained shortly after calling HPD to report a shooting. HPD told Houston Public Media earlier this week it had not contacted ICE when responding to the shooting. <\/p>\n

According to a statement on Home Depot’s corporate website<\/a>, the company denies any involvement with ICE.<\/p>\n

“The Home Depot is not involved in these operations, and we do not coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or other federal agencies regarding them,” the company said. <\/p>\n

However, Home Depot said it does not prevent federal agents from accessing its parking lots. The company also said it has automated license plate readers in its parking lots while noting it does not give federal agents access to them.<\/p>\n

“Because our stores and parking lots are publicly accessible, law enforcement agents do not require a warrant to enter these areas,” the company said. “Like many retailers, we use license plate readers in our parking lots. These cameras are used for the purpose of detecting and preventing theft and protecting the safety of our customers and associates.”<\/p>\n

\"Immigration<\/a><\/p>\n

Kyle McClenagan\/Houston Public Media<\/p>\n

Immigration advocates hold signs accusing Home Depot of cooperating with ICE at a news conference in Houston on Aug. 14, 2026.<\/p>\n

Home Depot said it maintains a “long-standing” no-solicitation policy in its parking lots, prohibiting the selling of goods or services in those spaces. <\/p>\n

Espinosa on Friday pointed out a small black cylinder and solar panel attached to a light pole in the Home Depot parking lot. He said it was a Flock safety camera. Flock is one of the most popular providers of automated license plate readers in the U.S. <\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Some Houston-area residents have growing concerns with the expansion of Flock cameras<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Upon further inspection by Houston Public Media, the device bore the Flock logo but was labeled “Flock Raven 1.2,” which the company\u2019s website describes as a gunshot detection device, not a camera<\/a>.<\/p>\n