The short version
- NotiCel reported that on Friday Governor Jenniffer Aydin González Colón said ICE interventions in churches and commercial establishments are unnecessary
- The governor told reporters federal agencies can enforce immigration laws without entering churches or stores and creating chaos for long-time residents who are law-abiding citizens
- NotiUno and NotiCel noted the comments respond to public complaints about ICE operations in communities, businesses and other spaces across Puerto Rico
- NotiCel reported that the governor did not announce any additional concrete measures by her administration regarding the federal operations
Governor Questions Tactics
Governor Jenniffer Aydin González Colón said on Friday that interventions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in churches and commercial establishments in Puerto Rico are unnecessary. NotiCel reported that she believes federal agencies can enforce immigration laws by targeting those who violate them without causing chaos among people who have lived on the island for years and are law-abiding citizens.
The governor made the statements in response to questions from the press about recent immigration enforcement actions and comments by San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo, who has also questioned the federal operations. González Colón did not reject the authority of federal agencies to enforce immigration laws but questioned the manner in which certain interventions are carried out, according to NotiCel. She added that she is closely monitoring the situation.
Also on PuertoRico.com: San Juan travel guide
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Yo creo que está de más. Yo creo que las agencias federales pueden hacer su trabajo y encauzar a aquellas personas que estén incumpliendo con la ley sin tener que causar entrar a esas iglesias o entrar a comercio y crear estos caos con personas que llevan años aquí y que son ciudadanos de bien
Our translation: I think it is unnecessary. I think that federal agencies can do their job and channel those people who are breaking the law without having to enter those churches or enter businesses and create these chaos with people who have been here for years and who are law-abiding citizens
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Me solidarizo con la comunidad inmigrante ante las redadas de ICE. Las leyes migratorias pueden y deben ejercerse sin violencia, con compasión y respeto a los derechos humanos
Our translation: I stand in solidarity with the immigrant community in the face of ICE raids. Immigration laws can and should be exercised without violence, with compassion and respect for human rights
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Context of Public Complaints
The governor's expressions come amid public complaints about ICE operations in communities, commercial establishments and other spaces in Puerto Rico, NotiCel reported. Earlier, the secretary of Public Affairs at La Fortaleza, Jean Peña Payano, acknowledged complaints of interventions based on skin color, including against U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico.
Peña Payano stated that the territorial government does not direct the federal operations and urged affected individuals to seek legal guidance and use available mechanisms to claim their rights, NotiCel said. Separately, Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera expressed solidarity with the immigrant community this week and called for immigration laws to be enforced without violence and with respect for human rights.
Where the sources differ
NotiCel and NotiUno both report that Governor Jenniffer González Colón criticized ICE interventions in churches and businesses on Friday, saying they are unnecessary and that federal agencies can enforce laws without causing chaos. The two NotiCel URLs contain identical text. NotiUno's article is listed as partial access but carries a similar headline and focus. All sources agree on the governor's position, the context of public complaints, statements by Jean Peña Payano acknowledging profiling complaints, and comments by Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera. No major numerical or factual conflicts appear among the sources used.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify when or where the ICE operations that prompted the complaints took place, how many interventions have occurred, whether any arrests were made, or what exactly the complaints of profiling involved beyond skin color. They also do not detail any direct response or planned actions from the governor's administration beyond her statements that she is monitoring the situation.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Gobernadora dice que están demás las intervenciones de ICE en iglesias y comercios
- Reporting Gobernadora critica intervenciones del Servicio de Inmigración en iglesias y comercios
How we checked this
NotiCel provided the most complete account of the governor's comments, background on complaints, and statements from other officials. NotiUno reported the governor's criticism with a similar focus. The story rests primarily on the governor's statements to the press and previously released comments from Peña Payano and Hernández Rivera.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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