By VICTORIA OLIVARES/Staff Writer
Several Facebook posts have gone up in La Tiendita, warning communities about the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, being spotted in Tyler.
La Tiendita is a Spanish Facebook group that small businesses use and it doubles as a space for the community to reach out for advice. Posts on Nov. 5 reported that ICE was spotted at the North end of Tyler, located near The Historic Mayfair Building.
On Nov. 6, multiple posts and videos were put on La Tiendita, describing vehicles of specially trained ICE agents as well as Tyler Police Department vehicles being spotted in groups around Tyler. These sightings were at Sam’s Club on South Southwest Loop 323, Tyler Rose Garden, Brookshire’s Conference Center and the surrounding areas.
This occurred days after the Smith County Commissioners Court unanimously voted on an agreement to have ICE reimburse the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. This is for equipment and all encapsulated activities that could be seen as an ICE activity. Sheriff Larry Smith has also said in an interview with KLTV that there are 32 trained officers in Smith County who are able to take individuals into ICE custody.
When an individual is detained by ICE, they go under Smith County’s booking as “courtesy holds” when an individual is not charged with a crime during a traffic stop or otherwise. If an individual was charged with a crime, then that charge will be the one shown.
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