Photo Courtesy of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Some individuals impersonating ICE agents in Queens demand money from victims with threats of deportation if they do not comply.
By Michael V. Cusenza
The Queens District Attorney’s Office and City Police Department on Friday warned New Yorkers about immigration scams and reiterated that one’s immigration status should never be a deterrent from seeking assistance from law enforcement or achieving justice in Queens courts.
According to DA Richard Brown and Police Commissioner Jim O’Neill, there have been reports of individuals impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Queens and demanding money from victims with threats of deportation if they do not comply.
“Be wary of this scam and others,” Brown and O’Neill noted. “An actual law enforcement agent will never demand money or threaten deportation in exchange for payment. If you are approached by someone claiming be a law enforcement agent of any kind who demands to see paperwork to determine your immigration status, ask them for photo identification if your safety permits.”
The law-enforcement leaders also implored New Yorkers to report these schemes, regardless of your residential situation.
“If you or someone that you know has been the victim of such a crime, do not let your immigration status stop you from seeking help,” said the prosecutor and the top cop. “In an emergency, call 911 to report such a crime – or any other type of crime – to the New York City Police Department. You can also call the Queens District Attorney’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to report immigration fraud.”
The OIA’s Affairs’ hotline number is (718) 286-6690, and its hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“The Queens District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department have a sworn duty to assist all victims of crimes,” Brown and O’Neill added. “We are fully committed to protecting all those who live, work and visit our community regardless of a person’s immigration status, nationality or language spoken and we will combine our efforts to vigorously prosecute anyone who targets people because of their background.”
In other immigration enforcement news, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer recently demanded that ICE release information about the raids that happened earlier this month.
“I am troubled by the lack of transparency and potential due process violations surrounding ICE’s most recent enforcement actions,” Schumer said. “That is why I’m calling on ICE to release information about the location of the raids and details of the people who were arrested.
“I have always supported smart immigration enforcement that helps to keep our country safe,” he continued, “but raids targeting law-abiding immigrants and treating those with traffic violations the same as murderers and robbers will only achieve the opposite.”
