SACROMENTO, Calif. (AP) — U.S. immigration and customs enforcement agencies are spending millions of dollars on television ads in select metro areas across the country, a tally from the Associated Press aimed at recruiting local executives dissatisfied with city restrictions. Immigration enforcement President Donald Trump Large-scale deportation efforts.
“You will make vows and serve to keep your family, your city and your safety,” the narrator says. “However, in sanctuary cities, dangerous illegals are ordered to stand up while they walk freely.”
The campaign, which has aired in more than 12 cities, including Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta, is part of a $300 billion initiative to hire another 10,000 deportees by the end of the year. Money is a part of it Trump’s Republican administration called for $76.5 billion For ice – 10x increase in current budgets – as part of a cleaning billions Tax credits and expenditures reduce your invoice Established in July.
Ice is already being served Bonus up to $50,000 for new recruits Other benefits of trying to quickly track employment, such as tuition reimbursements.
And some of the federal government is shutdown As Congress failed to pass spending measures last week, ICE ads reflect that the Trump administration’s top priority, a massive deportation push, is still being washed away with cash.
Millions spent 30 seconds ads
The ads are open with videos of the familiar Skylines of each Metro and videos that have the voices of the narrators announced, such as, “Attention, Miami Law Enforcement.” Beyond that, the spots are identical, and the officers will “help join the ice and catch the worst, worst person. Drug traffickers. Gang members. Predators,” according to a review of the ads on ad tracking service.
The 30-second spot began running in Albuquerque, New Mexico in mid-September. Boston; Chicago; Denver; New York; Philadelphia; Sacramento, California. Seattle; Washington DC added to list a week ago: Atlanta. Dallas; El Paso, Texas. Houston; Miami; Salt Lake City; and San Antonio.
As of Friday, total spending on advertising was over $5.7 million, with the Seattle area’s most spent since mid-September at $853,745. However, according to Adimpact, Atlanta was most seen last week at $794,084.
It was unclear why ICE targeted these locations rather than elsewhere. It generally refers to a city or state that restricts cooperation with the ice, but there is no standard definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction. Not all cities, but they appear on the city’s Department of Justice list. “That hinders federal immigration law enforcement.”
Asked in the AP email to explain why a particular area was chosen as an advertising target, a Homeland Security official declined to provide an explanation. Instead, they responded in a September 16 press release near the start of the advertising campaign, reporting that they received over 150,000 applications and extended 18,000 tentative jobs.
Some cities where ads are being played, especially Boston and Chicago, have been repeatedly criticised by the Trump administration for policies that limit the extent to which they can work with federal immigration enforcement. There is ice Immigrant crackdown has begun In both cities. Local Chicago officials are particularly opposed to strengthened enforcement.
Albuquerque is one of the smallest metropolitan areas where ads are airing, but city mayor Tim Keller was the opponent of the Trump administration’s immigration policy voice. In July, Keller signed an executive order prohibiting city employees from civic authorities from assisting citizen immigration enforcement.
Local police cannot compete with ice promises
The AP contacted the police station in the area where the ads are running. Most departments said they either did not respond or did not comment on the actions of external agencies. A small number, including Sacramento and Miami, said none of the officers departing for positions in the ice or DHS, were aware.
The four markets the ad plays are in Texas, including San Antonio.
Danny Diaz, president of the city’s police officers’ association, said he saw the ad and worried about future recruits who may have been considering joining the city’s police department instead.
“You can’t compete with the $50,000 signature bonus,” Diaz said. “I think the younger generations will jump on it.”
The government closure could curb requests for ice cream recruitment, he said.
“They are attacking federal employees. I don’t think individuals want to go to work for federal agencies when they don’t know if they’ll receive a check,” he said.
Philadelphia Police Colonel John Walker said it was too early to determine whether the advertising campaign had an impact on the city’s recruitment. Instead, he suggested, the ads appeared to aim to reassure viewers that the Trump administration was working on illegal immigration.
“It’s a psychological touch. You feel better, so you want to know there are officers out there,” said Walker, who is in charge of recruiting the Philadelphia Police Department. “That’s it. It reinforces the belief that they’re doing something.”
AD Blitz is a struggle for law enforcement departments across the country to meet staffing demands.
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Beaumont was reported from Des Moines, Iowa.
