Migrants In California Went To An ICE Check-In; They Were Deported Instead

Migrants in California said they were deported to Mexico after showing up for immigration proceedings.

Two different people recounted their experiences while talking to local press. "We are arranging an immigration procedure, and I went and presented myself and they detained me," Miguel Angel Ramirez told Telemundo 20. He was taken from Bakersfield to Tijuana this week.

Another migrant who only identified by his first name said he was handcuffed and deported after presenting himself before ICE authorities in Madera. He claimed to be in the middle of a process to get a U visa, but was deported while "arranging papers." "They took everything from us. I left my wife out there, she was waiting for me," he added.

The stories have repeated themselves across the country, leading many migrants to consider whether to show up to their appointments. NBC News detailed that thousands of undocumented immigrants report to ICE on a regular basis every day, helping officials keep track of those who are not a priority for deportation as they seek legal pathways to remain in the country.

Many immigrants are placed in additional supervision programs like GPS ankle monitors and phone calls, among others. Almost 180,000 people are monitored through the programs nationwide.

Many migrants are being sent to Mexico, which is gearing up to receive them. The government led by President Claudia Sheinbaum is already implementing a plan called "Mexico Embraces You," which, among other things, provides returnees with cash cards worth about $100.

The initiative also includes busing people to their hometowns, medical attention, and enrolling returnees in social welfare programs. The effort spans across the government, with 34 federal agencies and 16 state governments involved.

ICE has been directed to increase arrests, targeting three cities per week and aiming to detain between 1,200 and 1,500 individuals a day. So far this week, operations have focused arrests in Chicago, in an operation that began Sunday, and New York City, where arrests began Tuesday. The efforts were set to continue Thursday in Aurora, a Colorado city that made headlines during the campaign trail when Donald Trump said the city had been "infected by Venezuela," but the operation was cancelled after details of the operation made the news.