The short version
- Jean Peña Payano told reporters that immigrants should seek legal orientation from nonprofit organizations and law school clinics as each case is different
- Peña Payano stated that neither Puerto Rico police nor the National Guard have participated in the ICE interventions
- In January 2025 DTOP shared data on 6,321 immigrants with driver's licenses including names addresses and phone numbers with ICE El Vocero reported
- The ACLU sued DTOP to release the federal requests and the information became public after the Supreme Court rejected a second reconsideration by DTOP
Federal jurisdiction emphasized
Jean Peña Payano, secretary of Public Affairs, urged immigrants in Puerto Rico to seek legal orientation about their rights during a news conference for the government program "En Récord". El Vocero reported He said nonprofit organizations and legal experts are offering help and that knowing one's rights reduces vulnerability.
Peña Payano clarified that immigration enforcement is a federal matter. "Hay que aclarar que es un tema de jurisdicción federal," he said according to NotiCel. He added that state police and the National Guard have not taken part in the operations. Videos circulating on social media showed masked agents requesting identification from businesses near Plaza Antonio Barceló in Barrio Obrero as well as in Río Piedras and Canóvanas, NotiCel reported.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Is Puerto Rico part of the US?
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Hay que aclarar que es un tema de jurisdicción federal
Our translation: We have to clarify that this is a matter of federal jurisdiction
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Data sharing and ACLU lawsuit
The secretary recalled that in January 2025 ICE requested data from the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP). Three days later DTOP delivered information on 6,321 immigrants holding driver's licenses in Puerto Rico, including names, dates of birth, residential addresses, telephone numbers and identification numbers, El Vocero reported.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued DTOP to make the federal requests public. After more than a year of litigation the documents were released following the Supreme Court's rejection of a second motion for reconsideration by DTOP, both outlets reported. Peña Payano said the government accepted the court's decision and that the matter remains under federal jurisdiction.
Meeting with consular corps
Peña Payano noted that Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera Santana met last year with the consular corps to address these issues, which affect not only the Dominican community but other migrant populations. He said his own parents are immigrants and stressed the importance of legal orientation through law schools or nonprofit services.
He acknowledged videos highlighting cases in which people appear to be stopped based on skin color and said the government will continue monitoring the situation. Peña Payano added that the discussion has highlighted the importance of immigrant communities beyond election cycles, according to NotiCel.
Where the sources differ
Both El Vocero and NotiCel agree that Jean Peña Payano spoke during the "En Récord" conference, urged immigrants to seek legal help, stressed federal jurisdiction, denied local law enforcement participation, referenced the 2025 DTOP data transfer of 6,321 records, the ACLU lawsuit and the eventual public release of documents after Supreme Court action. NotiCel includes additional details on videos from specific locations (Barrio Obrero, Río Piedras, Canóvanas), Peña Payano's comments on skin color stops and that the issue should not be used as a political football. El Vocero adds the exact timing of the DTOP handover (three days after the ICE request) and Peña Payano's personal reference to his immigrant parents. The two NotiCel entries are identical.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether any immigrants have been detained or deported in the recent operations, the current number of people affected, whether the Department of State has received specific requests for assistance since last year's consular meeting, or what concrete steps if any the local government plans to take beyond monitoring and offering general advice. Peña Payano did not specify whether law schools or nonprofits have seen an increase in requests for help.
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 "Es buscar orientación legal": Peña Payano insta a inmigrantes a conocer sus derechos ante redadas del ICE
- Reporting “Hay que aclarar que es un tema de jurisdicción federal”, dice Peña Payano sobre los operativos de ICE
How we checked this
El Vocero and NotiCel both covered Jean Peña Payano's statements on immigration enforcement and the earlier DTOP data transfer. All details on the number of records shared, the ACLU lawsuit outcome and the secretary's call for legal orientation rest on these two outlets.
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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