False ICE activity rumors: How police should respond

By Robert Tornabene

Since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased immigration arrests nationwide, local law enforcement agencies have increasingly been forced to respond publicly to false claims that ICE was operating in their jurisdiction or working alongside local law enforcement.

How agencies formulate that response — how quickly they respond and the language they use — directly affects public perception. Ultimately, these moments determine whether the public trusts or questions the agency.

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How prevalent has the issue become?

In just the past year, agencies across the country have been forced to publicly debunk viral claims of ICE activity tied to…