About 30 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested by federal agents Thursday morning in the Las Vegas Valley, even as immigration reform advocates were celebrating a judge's decision to block the most controversial sections of a new Arizona immigration law.
Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the "intelligence-based operation ... aimed at disrupting human smuggling activities at transportation sites that are used as a means to further illegal trafficking into the interior of the United States," Kelly Ivahnenko, a spokeswoman with the agency, said in a Friday e-mail.
"Las Vegas is a key transportation hub used increasingly by smuggling organizations ... to move smuggled people, narcotics and other contraband to destinations across the country," she said.
Immigrant rights groups called the action a "raid" and said family members at a North Las Vegas bus station were separated when federal agents arrived, some taken away as others remained behind, crying. Five parents were later released, according to Michael Flores, a local activist with ProgressNow Nevada.
"It was heartbreaking," Flores said.
Flores was attending a Thursday morning news conference to discuss the Arizona law when he heard about the arrests. He left the conference and drove to the Tefusa Internacional bus station at 2055 N. Las Vegas Blvd., near Lake Mead Boulevard. There, he said, he spoke to agents who told him they were looking for evidence of smuggling or drugs.
"The timing was bizarre," Flores said. "I've never seen a raid before. It was awful."
Flores saw agents take 16 people from the bus station, he said. He believed the other arrests took place at two bus stations at the corner of Eastern and Searles avenues, near Owens Avenue.
Ivahnenko refused to say where the 30 people were taken or what charges they will face.
"Any illegal aliens arrested will be processed according to standard procedures," she said. "Human or alien smuggling cases and cases involving narcotics will be turned over to the appropriate agency for criminal prosecution."
She also wouldn't say whether federal agents were still in the valley or whether they have planned more enforcement activities for the immediate days ahead.
"We aren't at liberty to provide any information regarding future operations," she said. "What I can tell you is that we rely on intelligence and partnerships with other agencies to identify, detect, and disrupt criminal organizations from carrying out their illicit activities."
Flores said he believes the raids have not ended.
Rogelio Gaytan, who manages the bus station, was not available for comment Friday. A card for the business advertises daily routes to Phoenix and connections to Guadalajara, Mexico.
Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285. Review-Journal reporter Lawrence Mower contributed to this report.
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