A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement representative on Wednesday morning notified Howard County Police that the agency would potentially be deploying in the Columbia area, a police spokeswoman confirmed.
“The Howard County dispatch center received notification this morning that ICE would be in the Columbia area,” Sherry Llewellyn, director of public affairs, said. “This was a courtesy call to advise our personnel that there may be some activity. ICE did not request HCPD assistance, nor did we offer. Howard County police are not involved in the operation in any way.”
ICE did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
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“My employees all came in at different times as normal. They informed me that raids were happening in Columbia, Long Reach specifically, and one of my my employees nephews was taken,” he said.
News of possible ICE raids in Columbia comes at a time of heightened tension across the United States as President Donald Trump has pledged to increase deportations. Baltimore was reportedly one of 10 cities slated for a surge in ICE raids before the president opted instead to give Democrats two weeks to negotiate a comprehensive immigration policy.
*see full story by The Baltimore Sun