Authorities in at least three states have arrested individuals allegedly impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at a time when real ICE agents have ramped up immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration , adding to existing fears of law enforcement among migrant communities.
In South Carolina, Sean-Michael Johnson, 33, was charged with kidnapping and impersonating a police officer after allegedly detaining a group of Latino men along a Charleston County road. You from Mexico? Johnson was charged with three counts of kidnapping and one count each of impersonating a law enforcement officer, petty larceny, assault and battery, according to jail records.
CNN has been unable to locate an attorney for Johnson. In court Saturday, the public defender said Johnson was extremely sorry for his actions. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents are highly trained and dedicated professionals who are sworn to uphold the law, protect the American people and support U. The founder and president of the Charleston Hispanic Association told CNN that harassment of his constituents based on their ethnicity is commonplace.
The ICE impersonation cases come as President Donald Trump has quickly mobilized wide swaths of the federal government to arrest and detain undocumented immigrants in the United States, part of a broader strategy to amass a large enforcement machine.
The administration has sent troops to the U. The grassroots organization based out of North Carolina focuses on supporting Latino communities through civic engagement and social justice.
