ICE enforcement activity increases in Las Vegas, sparking community concern, sources say

By Tiffany Lane

(KSNV) — Officials have addressed a viral social media post that appears to show ICE enforcement in the eastern part of the Las Vegas valley.

The video, posted on Facebook, depicts two federal agents speaking to a driver near Washington and Mojave. Authorities are still determining if any arrests were made.

Community leaders from the Nevada Immigrant Coalition and other groups had a virtual meeting Friday to discuss incidents they’ve confirmed locally of immigration activity in the Vegas Valley.

They’re warning community members to know their rights.

“This week, plain clothes officials and unmarked cars have been increasing anxiety with the community,” said Bethany Khan of the Culinary Union.

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition leaders provided a list of about a dozen immigration enforcement situations they’ve confirmed in Southern Nevada since Sunday.

“On Sunday, ice enforcement at a residence at Nellis Stewart, local business at sunset, and Decatur on Monday, and we were notified of a targeted ICE detention of a legal permanent resident in this instance, which is really concerning for the community,” said Khan.

Khan also listed incidents at Bonanza and 10th, and an indoor swap meet near Owens and Eastern, as well as two incidents where detentions occurred before and after school during drop-offs.

“One thing we have seen is that these detentions seem to be targeted,” said Martha Menendez, a local immigration attorney. “So, we have not yet seen any big raids, which is something that we were afraid of and still remain afraid of, that could still happen. So, the officers conducting this, or what we’ve heard, is that they are showing up with orders of detention, not just picking up people collaterally.”

News 3 reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as the FBI Las Vegas field office to confirm details of local detainments and whether these individuals had any warrants.

FBI Las Vegas referred News 3 to ICE and shared a social media post by the national FBI this week, saying FBI teams across America are stepping up to support immigration enforcement efforts.

A local immigration attorney says they are still working to gather more details.

“I don’t actually have any background on the people that - I think that’s currently being collected,” said Menendez. So, we don’t have any specific information. And that I don’t personally see any kind of pattern as to why they’re detaining certain people and not others.”

To enter homes, ICE needs to have a judicial warrant.

Athar Haseebullah, who leads the ACLU of Nevada, says agencies around the country are working around that.

“What we’ve been seeing more of is Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Officers waiting outside of someone’s residence for them to leave, they’ll often wait in unmarked vans, unmarked vehicles, and attempt to engage in in sort of like an immediate action thereafter when somebody’s in a public space, versus actually attempting to enter into someone’s home,” said Haseebullah.

News 3 asked why these organizations believed there is ramped-up enforcement this week.

“The Department of Homeland Security has picked specific communities to engage in enhanced enforcement at different periods,” said Haseebullah. “The rationale is not clear for how they end up selecting. But what we do know is that these types of targeted surge activities have been happening nationwide. Houston was the last one I’m aware of.”

Several groups say that when it comes to incidents in Southern Nevada that there is a lack of transparency.

They believe detainments will go on until at least Sunday.

“I think the biggest fear right now is that we don’t actually know which agencies are being deputized to act as ICE officers and detain people on ICE orders,” said Menendez.

There is an ICE database that has enforcement statistics by region.

But the most recent data doesn’t go past December 2024.

News 3 also reached out to Governor Joe Lombardo’s office and is waiting to hear back.

Metro reiterated that it is not involved in any ICE campaigns regarding undocumented individuals as part of department policy.