ICE defends agents calling themselves ‘police’

It is common practice for immigration officers to identify themselves as “police” during enforcement actions targeting people in the country illegally, according to an official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“ICE officers are police officers. Any suggestion to the contrary is both ridiculous and dangerous,” ICE spokesman Shawn Neudauer said in a statement issued Wednesday.

The agency was sharply criticized this week by Dane County Sheriff David J. Mahoney and Madison Mayor Paul Soglin for ICE agents identifying themselves as police during immigration raids across Wisconsin in which 83 people were arrested.

Soglin and Mahoney also claimed that local law enforcement was not notified in advance of the operation, placing all officers at risk and damaging the trust established with immigrant communities.

However, Neudauer said an ICE supervisory officer contacted a Madison law enforcement official about the operations several days before it was conducted.

“In addition, ICE notified local law enforcement dispatch communications centers in each county where ICE officers were operating,” Neudauer said.

“Any rumors or suggestion that ICE did not notify local law enforcement agencies prior to the start of our recent operations in Wisconsin are inaccurate.”

He added that for operational security reasons, federal law enforcement agencies are not required to provide specific, detailed information concerning operations when local law enforcement is not directly involved.

“However, giving courtesy notice of an outside agency’s presence is a common practice among law enforcement agencies that helps prevent miscommunication and further ensures that officers from different agencies are working safely in the same areas,” Neudauer said.