ICE Issues Statement on Missing Dulce Maria Alavez of Bridgeton

Dulce Maria Alavez went missing on September 16, 2019, but the efforts to find her are continuing today.

The little girl was five years old when she went missing from a family outing at a Bridgeton park.

ICE (U.S, Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has just issued a statement about the search for Alavez, saying that illegal citizens should not fear coming forth with essential information in the case.

ICE ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris had this to say:

This is a tragic situation for the family and we extend our deepest sympathies to them during this difficult time. Non-U.S. citizens, regardless of their immigration status, should not for one minute be hesitant to provide information that may assist in this investigation. As a law enforcement agency, ICE works closely with our federal, state, and local partners in support of public safety.

A statement from ICE added this:

It is not ICE policy to affirmatively target alien victims, witnesses, or plaintiffs for immigration enforcement. Rather, ICE officers are trained to exercise prosecutorial discretion in performing their immigration enforcement duties. Indeed, federal immigration law makes certain forms of immigration benefits available under certain circumstances to individuals who assist law enforcement or who have been victimized by criminal activity. Advocacy groups, NGOs, and politicians are doing a disservice to the victims they are claiming to protect by disseminating inaccurate information asserting that, if victims report a crime to local authorities, they may be arrested by ICE.