I.C.E. officers are traveling their way closer to Weirton and around the area.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as I.C.E., is currently carrying out duties in cities all over the state of West Virginia. They have been seen and serving in towns including Nitro, Beckley, Martinsburg, Moorefield, Morgantown, Clarksburg, Huntington, Charleston, and Marshall County. These towns are not too far from Weirton—Marshall County being only about 42 miles outside.
Right outside WV is Pittsburgh, PA. Agents are currently serving in the city, including at Pittsburgh International Airport. Under TSA procedures, ICE agents assist in operating the credential authentication machine at the travel document checkpoint. TSA employees have quit or lost their jobs due to weeks of no pay. Lines and waits have been longer, so plan accordingly if you intend to travel over spring break or any time soon. “The more support we have available, the more efficiently TSA can focus on their highly specialized screening roles to efficiently get airport security lines moving faster,” DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis said. 
“Employers in West Virginia may face a situation where their employees who are immigrants are arrested and detained by immigration officials,” WV Trial Lawyer, Tom Hurney, wrote.
West Virginia’s legislature passed a bill that outlaws any individual that has been determined to illegally be in the country by law enforcement must be turned over to I.C.E. for deportation purposes.
Federal, local, and state law enforcements are working together to continue cooperation with I.C.E. to detain “dangers to national security and risks to public safety, as well as those who entered the U.S. illegally or have otherwise undermined the integrity of U.S. immigration laws and border control,” said Michael Rose, the acting field office director in the Philadelphia region for I.C.E.’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Reporter Amelia Ferrell Knisely from West Viginia Watch found that from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19, more than 650 individuals were contained by I.C.E. in West Virginia during a statewide surge conducted from I.C.E. Philadelphia—not including individuals from 2025 or after January. They also detained nine people that were directing traffic at Fayetteville’s annual Bridge Day celebration.
“[Arrests] have removed dangerous illegal immigrants from our communities and made our state safer for families and law-abiding citizens,” West Virginia Governor, Patrick Morrisey said when I.C.E. issued a press release on the 650 arrests in a two-week period.
When they surged Nitro, agents arrested eight people, one being a pregnant woman, at Rio Grande, a Mexican restaurant. Agents entered through the ceiling, making an austere entrance. No additional information was provided.
Some tactics and procedures used by I.C.E. have been viewed as controversial. People point to actions such as aggressive enforcement methods, home raids conducted without warrants, arrests made without clear justification, arrests made without clear justification, the use of tear gas, and sometimes killings.
The fifth amendment guarantees fair treatment under the law (due process). Arguments spike around whether I.C.E. has violated the fifth amendment because of detainment without trial, agents being masked or hidden, and wrongful detainment of legal citizens.
“Many undocumented immigrants do not enter our county. They enter legally but overstay, work without authorization, drop out of school, or violate the conditions of their visas in some other way,” said Cindy Briggs-Biondi. Briggs-Biondi, a Reverend in Kanawha County who was highlighted in an article from West Virginia Watch. These are considered civil offenses, which include things like lawsuits, breach of contract fall, violation of intellectual property rights, etc.
The majority of convictions since Trump’s second term have had no criminal record, according to ProPublica.
Several deaths have occurred during I.C.E. interactions, leaving many Americans outraged—a number of which have been citizens protesting against I.C.E., including Alex Pretti and Renee Good. The first amendment guarantees Americans freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
In January, U.S. District Judge Jospeh R. Goodwin ruled that federal agents wrongfully convicted two individuals, Damary Alejandra Rodriguez Flores and Antony Segundo Larrazabal-Gonzalez. They were both arrested near an Interstate 77 tollbooth somewhere is North Carolina.
“Both of which were cooperation with immigration officials. They had not been found to pose a threat to the community, or national security,” said Erin Beck, a reporter for the Mountain State Spotlight. “Goodwin said he was shocked that he was presented no ev
idence for why the pair should remain jailed. A government lawyer repeatedly responded, ‘I don’t know’ to the judge’s questions.” This oversteps people’s constitutional rights.
This past Valentine’s Day, Miguel Antonio Dominguez Izaguirre, who entered the United States in 2016 and currently lives in Cana, Va., with his two children, was arrested and detained by I.C.E. while traveling near Summersville, Nicholas County. Goodwin ordered Izaguirre to be released after a hearing. He ruled that There is no evidence in the record that Petitioner is a danger to the community or a flight risk, and there is sufficient evidence that he has community ties. Still, he has been afforded no hearing. This violates his due process rights.”
In a schoolwide survey sent to Weir High students, 63% disagreed when asked “Overall, how do you feel about the immigration policies and procedures used by ICE?” 13% agreed, 13% were neutral, and 13% were conflicted.
“I.C.E. has caused fatal harm to civilians and people who were a part of U.S. territories or states. They make me uncomfortable in my own town. They should be ashamed of themselves,” said Junior, Gavin Dunlap, who disagreed with I.C.E.’s tactics.
“I get wanting to keep illegal immigrants from the country, but they’re targeting innocent people, and so many people have been wrongfully deported, including American citizens. They’re using such brutality against the people, that people should not be dying so often if they were doing their jobs correctly,” said Sophomore, Ella Martin, who was conflicted.
“They’re getting rid of illegals, which is good for the country,” said Senior, Dylan Carpenter, who agreed with I.C.E.’s tactics in the survey.
These poll results demonstrate how controversial the issue has become and leaves questions as to whether I.C.E. is appropriately carrying out their duties properly. Regardless of beliefs and legality, every person has rights, citizen or noncitizen.
