Officials Say Undocumented Immigrants Won’t Be Arrested if They Seek Shelter After Harvey CNN
go to original August 29, 2017

Flood victims look for clothing at a shelter in the George R. Brown Convention Center during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas (AFP/Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

Update: Trump Surveys Damage from Harvey, Which Killed a Police Officer (Reuters)

Undocumented immigrants who seek shelter from Harvey’s devastation don’t have to worry about ICE agents picking them up. That’s the message from immigration officials, FEMA and the city of Houston.

On its page on Hurricane Harvey, FEMA addresses the rumor head-on.

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have stated that it is not conducting immigration enforcement at relief sites such as shelters or food banks.”

It adds that most shelters are managed by local communities and the Red Cross. “The Red Cross will not ask people to show any form of identification in order to stay in their shelters.”

Likewise, ICE issued a statement reiterating the point.

“Routine non-criminal immigration enforcement operations will not be conducted at evacuation sites, or assistance centers such as shelters or food banks,” it said.

And the city of Houston said the same thing, in a tweet: “We will not ask for immigration status or papers from anyone at any shelter. This rumor is FALSE!”

Read the rest at Fox 59

Related: Fear of Deportation Could Keep Texans from Evacuating for Harvey - and Trump Is Making It Worse (DeathRattleSports.com)

Related: The Mexican Government Has Offered to Help Hurricane Harvey Victims (Vox)

Related: Hurricane Harvey: Donald Trump Has Not Accepted Mexico's Offer to Help Houston Flooding Victims (Independent)

Related: Texas Muslims Are Turning Mosques Into Shelters to Help Harvey Victims (Mic)

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