Atlanta Mexican Consulate Speaks Out On ICE Arrests

BROOKHAVEN, GA -- Mexico's most powerful representative in metro Atlanta said that 21 Mexican nationals in Georgia, including Brookhaven, Norcross and Duluth, have been rounded up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The confirmation is the first local tally of the controversial enforcements by anyone outside the Trump Administration.

ICE operations last week widely heralded the arrests, in a handful of cities, of hundreds of people who the government said were undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

“Three of those arrested do not have criminal or immigration records whatsover,” the Mexican consulate said, according to Atlanta Intown newspaper. “They were only detained for being in the U.S. undocumented.”

Read more: Were the ICE raids in Brookhaven? Police say they didn't assist

The statements by the metro area's Atlanta Mexican consulate office highlight the renewed tensions between the United States and its southern neighbor.

Many immigrant communities, including those along Buford Highway in Brookhaven, are living in fear after the sweeps, which were carried out door to door in some cases, according to witnesses that described the scenes on social media.

A fact sheet recently released by ICE said that almost 200 "unlawfully present foreign nationals" were arrested in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

"Of the 190 unlawfully present aliens arrested by ERO Atlanta, 127 had prior criminal convictions in addition to their illegal immigration status," ICE said.
One of those arrested in metro Atlanta had previously pleaded guilty to felony cocaine distribution, federal officials said.

The comments from the Mexican consulate make headlines the same day that several metro Atlanta businesses participated in the "A Day Without Immigrants," a national protest of Trump Administration policies.

Many eateries in Decatur, Dunwoody, Atlanta and other metro cities, chose to conduct business as usual, but donate the days' work to the ACLU, which is taking legal action against the administration's immigration policies.

DeKalb schools react to protest

The DeKalb County School District, one of the most diverse in metro Atlanta, issued a statement Thursday reaffirming its commitment to diversity in light of the protest.

"In light of recent events and social media comments, we stand firmly by our original statement that our schools will be safe places for learning and teaching," Superintendent Stephen Green said in a statement.

He said that despite the Day Without Immigrant protests, "we respectfully ask parents and guardians to make sure your children attend school to benefit from instruction and avoid an unexcused absence."

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