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ICE says agents ‘administratively arrested’ 17 at South Bethlehem worksite
Federal immigration officials on Friday issued their first statement since arresting 17 people at the Five10 Flats on June 11. Mayor J. Williams Reynolds this week described the arrests as "an American tragedy."
Residents demonstrate at a rally Thursday, June 12, to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building in South Bethlehem the day before. Protestors marched from East Third Street to Bethlehem City Hall.
Residents demonstrate at a rally Thursday, June 12, to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building in South Bethlehem the day before. Protestors marched from East Third Street to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered and spoke out at a rally in Bethlehem at City Hall on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid that took place the day before. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched across the Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverSigns near Bethlehem City Hall at a rally on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Makenzie ChristmanResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will OliverResidents gathered at a rally in Bethlehem on Thursday, June 12 to protest a federal immigration raid at the fire-damaged Five10 Flats apartment building the day before. Protestors marched from E. 3rd St. to Bethlehem City Hall. Will Oliver
ICE said its agents from its Homeland Security Investigations office “administratively arrested” 13 citizens of Venezuela, two of Mexico and one citizen each from Ecuador and Nicaragua for “immigration violations."
The arrests happened at the 510 Flats building in South Bethlehem.
They served a “Notice of Inspection” as crews worked on the building, the agency said Friday in its first public comments on the arrests.
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds’ office said in a statement on the morning of the arrests that federal immigration officials were in Bethlehem searching for an individual "related to an immigration violation and criminal investigation."
ICE did not immediately respond Friday to LehighValleyNews.com’s questions about the men’s identities or current locations or the impetus for the operation.
The mayor said he and other city officials have repeatedly asked federal authorities for more information about the raid but have received none.
“The opaqueness of not letting us know is miniscule compared to the opaqueness of what is happening to these individuals that are being detained."
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds
“The opaqueness of not letting us know is miniscule compared to the opaqueness of what is happening to these individuals that are being detained," Reynolds told Bethlehem City Council on Tuesday night.
Almost three dozen people spoke out during that meeting, many calling for city officials to develop a unified plan against ICE’s procedures. UntitledSeventeen speakers started their comments with one minute of silence to honor the 17 people arrested at the site of a large restoration project in the wake of a May fire that forced out all 135 residents and ground-floor businesses.
Hundreds in the city demonstrated against ICE on June 12, the night after the arrests, across the street from the fire-damaged apartment building where the men were working.
