Tom Homan, the federal official overseeing immigration enforcement, visited Puerto Rico this week as reports emerged of an intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation on the island. The visit, confirmed by the White House, involved assessments of immigration and maritime border security efforts, part of Homan’s routine duties. He has since left Puerto Rico.
Traditionally, the federal government has applied immigration enforcement with less intensity in Puerto Rico compared to the U.S. mainland, making the current activities notable. Advocates and local observers have described a significant uptick in ICE presence, including arrests carried out in everyday neighborhoods.
A local ICE spokeswoman confirmed to a major Puerto Rican newspaper that agents launched an operation in the San Juan metropolitan area but did not specify the number of individuals apprehended or their nationalities. Witnesses described scenes of masked and armed ICE officers conducting roadblocks and vehicle stops in areas such as Santurce, a neighborhood with a large Dominican community. Videos reviewed by reporters showed SUVs partially blocking streets as officers questioned motorists and passengers.
Advocates and witnesses estimate that at least 15 people were arrested in the San Juan area, mostly following these vehicle stops. Among those detained was a 35-year-old man from the Dominican Republic who has lived in Puerto Rico for a decade. According to his attorney, Rosaura González Rucci, he was arrested while carpooling to work and stopping at a gas station. The man, married to a lawful permanent resident with two U.S. citizen children, has an approved petition for legal residency that has yet to advance. He has no criminal history. González Rucci noted increased aggressiveness by ICE in recent months.
On Friday, following initial reports, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is leading an operation in the San Juan port area to verify credentials of workers seeking access to ships and other restricted zones. ICE is assisting by inspecting identification cards and pursuing violations. DHS did not disclose when the operation began or provide arrest figures.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico has called on federal authorities to halt the arrests immediately. Earlier this month, the ACLU demanded the resignation of Puerto Rico’s transportation secretary after the department revealed it had voluntarily provided ICE with confidential data on 6,321 immigrants holding driver’s licenses. The ACLU condemned the current enforcement as part of a broader pattern of “systematic violence and harassment” against immigrant communities.
The governor’s office declined to comment on the reported arrests. The developments mark a significant shift in immigration enforcement on the island and have sparked concern among immigrant advocates and civil rights groups.