ICE issue in West Monroe

ICE has been out in full force in the Monroe/West Monroe issue. I’m all about getting out illegals. No if’s ands or buts.

However, it makes me wonder if ICE has too much leeway. A West Monroe high school student is currently detained even though they are here legally. You won’t find this on the news, but even the mayor of Monroe, Friday Ellis is speaking out on it. Here’s his Facebook post about what is known currently.

“What we know, or what has been presented so far….. is that the young man and his family came here through the asylum process and were granted asylum. They were issued federal identification and Social Security cards, allowing him to legally work, attend school, and remain in the United States while his immigration case proceeds. From what we’ve been told, that process can take years.

What we also know is that he presented his government-issued identification but did not have his Social Security card with him at the time. Within hours, that documentation was produced, along with paperwork showing he had been granted asylum and was lawfully in the immigration process. Yet days later he’s still being detained.”

I’m kind of surprised we don’t have a way to quickly resolve issues with the detainment process. We have a high schooler that had their Real ID on them. He wasn’t carrying his social security card on him but it was given to officials within hours of being detained. He and his family are here legally and there is no evidence they missed any hearings or meetings.

What are your thoughts on this situation? I also wonder how often this happens since it doesn’t make the actual news.

Longer update on Page 5.

Short version update: While leaving work and as he was sitting in his vehicle, a West Monroe Police Officer asked him for his identification. He provided his Real ID and the officer ran it in his system. He cleared Anderson to go. An ICE agent then appeared and asked for his ID and if he was legally in the country. He said yes, and handed him his ID. He was asked for his social security card. He provided a picture of it on his phone. The ICE agent said he was good-to-go. Then, before he could leave, another ICE agent asked to see it also. That ICE agent said he thinks it could be fake. He is now detained because of it. No other reason from what we can tell. His ID and his social security card are in fact, real it seems. If they are, and this is what actually happened, I'm against it.