OKC Hispanic leaders: Rumors of local ICE raids not credible
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma City Hispanic leaders are debunking posts spreading on social media claiming that ICE raids are happening in the metro, saying they're causing harm.
You may have seen some of the posts. One of them making the rounds on social media asks Oklahoma City residents to check on their friends and loved ones. The post claims ICE vehicles are being reported all throughout south Oklahoma City near I-240 and the Stockyards as areas with predominantly Hispanic populations. As of Friday the post had been shared thousands of times and had hundreds of comments.
Oklahoma City Democratic Senator and immigration attorney Michael Brooks-Jimenez told News 4 Friday his legal office has not received any calls regarding ICE presence or activity in southern Oklahoma City or any other area.
"So far we have not seen any kind of coordinated full scale immigration actions the way that President Trump has described," said Brooks-Jimenez.
A Facebook post from Brooks-Jimenez said that if he did receive a credible report he would immediately share it with the community. Brooks-Jimenez says that, in the past, reports about alleged ICE operations have always proven to be false. In each case investigation he says it was traffic arrests or sobriety checkpoints; and although ICE operations make occasional arrests, those operations aren't common.
"People are nervous and they want to make sure that people are advised in case something really is going on," said Brooks-Jimenez when asked why he thinks posts about ICE raids are gaining traction.
Brooks-Jimenez says there is warranted anxiety locally about federal changes to immigration policy, but some are getting carried away.
"There's a lot of disinformation and misinformation going on in social media," said Brooks-Jimenez.
Brooks-Jimenez says, so far, he's received no reports from relatives indicating that someone has been arrested; and that if arrests did occur his office would be getting high volumes of calls; which isn't happening. He encourages Oklahomans to vet everything they see online when it comes to ICE raid posts; and to avoid panic.
"I think that deportation is the biggest fear within the community," said Angelica Villalobos, Co-Founder of Immigration Connection Empowerment.
Villalobos said that while she's relieved to hear the social media posts aren't credible, it does raise some concern about why people are sharing the information in the first place.
"If you really care about the Hispanic community here in the city, you need to make sure that when you're posting that you're responsible," said Villalobos.
News 4 reached out to the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for comment and received the following statement:
The spread of rumors about ICE raids in Oklahoma can have significant negative effects on the Latino community. These unfounded reports often lead to heightened fear and anxiety, causing individuals to avoid essential activities such as going to work, school, medical appointments, or seeking legal or social services. This can result in economic instability, disruptions in education, and deteriorated health outcomes. Furthermore, such rumors can erode trust in community institutions and create unnecessary divisions, hindering efforts to foster inclusivity and support. Combating misinformation is critical to ensuring the safety, well-being, and empowerment of all community members.
David Castillo, President/CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce