There is a warning about thieves posing as immigration officials trying to rip off undocumented immigrants.
City leaders say the scammers are asking them to hand over cash or they’ll be immediately deported.
“People are nervous, scared to go out,” one man said.
The 21-year-old man was born here, but his parents are here illegally. He fears for their future.
“Every time I get off work, I call them to make sure they got home,” he said.
There is great anxiety in Woodside, Queens, where so many immigrants from so many different countries live side-by-side.
It’s bad enough many of them fear deportation, but their vulnerability is making them easy prey.
“He gave them all his cash, $250,” Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said.
According Van Bramer, a man was walking in the neighborhood Monday afternoon when he was approached by four men who claimed to be immigration agents.
Eyewitness News is told they demanded all his cash or said he would be arrested.
“If someone is a victim of fraud, they need to report it right away so we can get the person who did this to them and stop them from victimizing others,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
The men apparently wore Immigration and Customs Enforcement jackets.
A quick browse on the internet shows how cheap and easy it is to buy official looking merchandise, including badges.
“This is a place for immigrants. Terrible. Really bad,” a man said.
In the last week, federal agents have arrested almost 700 immigrants nationwide claiming they are criminals who need to be deported.
Many in New York are worried they will be caught up in a raid. Monday’s victim is now too afraid to contact the police.
New York City is actually a sanctuary city which means if a victim reports a crime, the police are not allowed to ask about immigration status nor report them to federal agents.
ICE says:
– If members of the community are approached by someone purporting to be a federal immigration officer, they should respectfully request to see the person’s badge and credentials.
– If the individual is unable to present a badge and credentials it should raise a red flag. People should also be suspicious if the “officer” demands money or if he/she detains someone and refuses to disclose where they are being taken.
– If members of the community suspect they’ve been contacted by an “impostor” immigration officer, they should report the encounter immediately to local law enforcement and/or call ICE’s 24-hour toll free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
Kmt, $#!t bad but no so bad to where you mek you self into damn prey.
Ignorance of the laws and system is no excuse fi ignorance. I can give a few stories but it will reveal my identity to my peepa who read JMG under cover.
All me can tell unu say is don’t let fear dictate you outcome; if you feel you can strive where you came from mek preperations and go home. All after Trump, America will never return from this pandora effect.
PP,we always on the same level but right now, its every jack man fi demself avoid these people if you can if u shut u mouth and naw show documents simple u are whisked away,PP we that have nothing to fear havent a clue how this has affected peoples health, feeling u can strive where u come from is in the mind wuss if u no go because simply YOU could not and lot a people with green card on the list a 3yrs someone in the dept tell someone there is going to be sweeping changes to the green card holders. to who will listen some cant change nutten for sake a past problem, MI SAY MI JUST COME UP AND THE WESTERN UNION DEM EMPTY since that fateful Friday night
Yesterday me cry a watch a little boy speaking for his mum.
It’s the lady who take sanctuary in a church. I know the levels of distress first hand. Not everyone born fi do battle.
LEGAL LEGAL people a live hand to mouth, unless a drugs weh scarce it no deh bout like that again how we memory chip get so short, dem a go home go push granny off a di bed, fi get space fi grine, the shoes is not on some of us foot, good god see amari a hold her head and a cuss how if dem cant poison the man and how she did agree wid him fi win, half way tree full a vendors a quarrel fi sidewalk wid things that family sen go gi dem fi sell, how it a go go a long time half pint sing bout more sellers than buyer, people and Mckenzie soon git up pon dem a calif eena church a bawl, some church no want nobody in deh for people target the church with graffiti saying dem fi go home weh good fi one good fi all but the hatchers tek ova like teenager roach and dem look out for each other, Not we?? and when I landed in Jamaica they took my picture to rass claat so all a we pon videoooo, and a professor on a immigration prog say Jamaica must prepare for an influx a criminal from north America….. all them f…kry every little thing NOT gonna be alright. Some place all broad daylight u clothes gone off the line