Return to Sender' sweeps begin

Return to Sender' sweeps begin
Federal immigration authorities take seven San Mateo County residents into custody
By Michael Manekin and Kelly Pakula, STAFF WRITERS
Article Last Updated: 02/07/2007 02:56:05 AM PST


REDWOOD CITY — Two children walked out the door of their Redwood City elementary school last week, expecting their mother to pick them up. Only, she was nowhere to be found.

Between the start of the school day and the ring of the final bell, the woman had been taken into custody by federal immigration agents.

The kids, both U.S. citizens, are among dozens of family and friends feeling the brunt of a recent federal immigration sweep targeting Latinos in San Mateo County, according to the International Institute of San Francisco, an immigrants-rights group with an office in Redwood City.

The raids have detained at least seven residents, say local police, some of whom have expressed concern that the federal campaign could hinder hard-won efforts to forge bonds with immigrant communities by deterring victims or witnesses of crimes to assist departments in solving crimes.

The sweeps, conducted by U.S. Department of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are part of a national campaign dubbed "Operation Return to Sender." Launched in June, the operation is cracking down on illegal immigrants with outstanding deportation orders or criminal records.

So far, "Operation Return to Sender" has arrested 13,000 nationwide, according to Virginia Rice of ICE. Last year, immigration officials detained 1,077 individuals in the Bay Area, of whom 813 were deported. Although Rice could not confirm past local operations, immigration advocates and local law