Authorities deny rumors of immigration raids in Miami

MIAMI, Florida - Beginning Wednesday morning, rumors swirled both online and off that Miami Beach Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were conducting operations to detain undocumented immigrants across the city.

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Univision News reporter Federica Narancio went to some of the locations where the supposed identity verification operations were being carried out, but she did not find any evidence nor neighbors who would corroborate the rumors.

According to posts on social media, as well as texts and calls that put immigration activists on alert, the operations were taking place in Northeast Miami, between 56th Street and Biscayne Boulevard, and at the intersection of 73rd Street and Dickinson Street in Miami Beach.

Both Miami Beach authorities and ICE spokesman Nestor Yglesias denied the claim. Miami Beach Police tweeted the following: "Contrary to rumors being shared, MBPD has confirmed with @DHSgov that there is NO immigration operation currently underway in Miami Beach."

Fear for what's coming

Yglesias told Univision that an image that showed the supposed buses being used to transport detainees was false. Univision found the photo online in an article from 2014.

But one thing was made clear Wednesday: there is fear in the immigrant community of Miami, where more than 66% of the population is Hispanic.

"Lesson of day: our communities are on high alert & there is real, grounded fear of what's to come. We must love and protect each other," read a tweet from the Community Justice Project, a legal organization in Miami.

Last week, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez asked county jails to comply with federal immigration detention requests, effectively undoing the county’s position as a "sanctuary."

Giménez's decision came a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that sought to weaken sanctuary counties or cities by threatening to cut federal funds for those that continue to shelter undocumented immigrants.