ICE Appears to Be Ramping Up Enforcement in San Diego

Many media outlets have reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ramped up its efforts in San Diego as part of Operation Safe California in the 45-day window prior to the November election.

At first, I wondered if the headlines were an attempt by ICE to scare people and to drum up support from President Donald Trump’s base going into the midterms. The fear of a potential ICE raid in immigrant communities can be as paralyzing and life-altering as the devastation following an actual raid.

I and some of my peers have worried about journalists spreading this message before we knew whether arrests were actually increasing and the effects that could have on people’s lives and well-being if it turned out to be a ruse. But, we will likely have to wait months to have clear data confirming whether and how much ICE arrests increased because data about these arrests are not immediately available.

The Deportation Data Project gathers and releases federal data related to ICE activity. Its most recent information on ICE activity is from July.

Meanwhile, activists who document ICE activity around the county are starting to sound the alarm about increased enforcement now.