SAN ANTONIO – A man recorded video from a two-hour Texas Department of Safety traffic stop outside an elementary school, which then led to a call for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
Antonio Cruz took the video outside of Jackson Keller Elementary School after he felt his gut told him to stop. He told the women not to sign anything.
“I’m not used to (seeing) the Texas patrol vehicles in this area,” Cruz said.
The DPS troopers told Cruz the stop was due to a broken brake light., which led them to call immigration enforcement.
The woman, who was picking up children after school, told KSAT she had a pending immigration date.
However, shortly after Cruz began filming, the DPS troopers left. Cruz could be seen in the video trying to calm one woman down.
It is unclear if a citation was issued.
Cruz’s video comes weeks after Governor Greg Abbott ordered DPS officials to assist federal immigration enforcers with arresting immigrants with active warrants.
Abbott’s office said 5,400 immigrants have been arrested across Texas.
DPS has jurisdiction to make stops on all public roads and highways in Texas.
An ICE spokesperson sent KSAT the following statement on Wednesday morning.
Due to operational security reasons and for the safety of our law enforcement personnel, U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not confirm or discuss ongoing or future operations. The agency publicly announces the results of operations when appropriate. As part of its routine operations, ICE arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality.ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of aliens who pose the greatest threat to our communities, as well as those who have been ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge.
Monica Yoas, ICE spokesperson
DPS confirmed in the following statement to KSAT that there are additional personnel patrolling Bexar County:
“At the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has developed regional tactical strike teams across the state to assist our federal partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and others, in their mission to combat illegal immigration and related criminal activity.
These teams are made up of DPS Troopers from the Texas Highway Patrol, Special Agents from the Criminal Investigations Division and Texas Rangers. While the department does not discuss operational specifics, we can confirm that these additional DPS personnel are providing an increased posture in Bexar County, as well as other counties, to address this and all public safety priorities, including cracking down on violent crime, gangs, illegal drugs and human trafficking and ensuring that drivers are driving safely and obeying traffic laws."
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