Homeland Security “border czar” Tom Homan made an unannounced trip to San Juan this week just as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents rolled out one of the island’s largest enforcement actions in years. Videos circulating on social media show masked agents erecting roadblocks, questioning drivers, and arresting at least 15 people—mostly longtime Dominican residents—around the Santurce neighborhood. Advocates say the scale and tactics are unprecedented for a U.S. territory where immigration enforcement historically focused on maritime smuggling. The American Civil Liberties Union of Puerto Rico demanded an immediate halt, calling the operation “systematic violence and harassment.” Local lawyers report clients with pending family-based residence petitions being swept up despite no criminal history. DHS officials confirmed ICE is “assisting TSA” in credential checks at the port but have refused to release arrest data. Observers note the raids coincide with the administration’s wider voter-fraud crackdown and may test new coordination protocols between ICE, TSA, and Customs and Border Protection in coastal jurisdictions. For employers and global mobility managers, the sudden uptick raises red flags for compliance and duty-of-care. Puerto Rico hosts growing clusters of near-shore finance and IT operations staffed partly by Caribbean nationals. Companies should ensure foreign workers carry proof of status at all times, review I-9 files for onsite employees, and prepare response plans for possible worksite visits. Longer term, the episode underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to extend mainland-style interior enforcement to U.S. territories. Mobility programs covering Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa should watch closely for similar deployment patterns.
Source: The Washington Post
