Many people are on edge following back-to-back days of immigration enforcement in San Jose.
U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) told NBC Bay Area it conducted targeted enforcement action this week against immigrants who had orders of removal issued by a judge.
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WATCH HEREICE will not disclose how many people they arrested over the two-day operation in San Jose. Images of the agency's actions have scared many in the South Bay, including shoppers at Chavez Supermarket on Blossom Hill Road.
On Wednesday, federal agents used the store's back lot as a transfer site for those arrested.
A nearby ICE supervision program office was summoning immigrants for a routine check-in, with some attendees wearing ankle bracelets because they are appealing deportation orders.
Many are asking why they should show up to appointments if there is a risk they will get arrested.
"Of course as an attorney I could never advise someone to not show up to their hearing," said Andrew Newcomb, an immigration lawyer. "If you don't show up, it can be even more devastating because ICE can show up at your door and arrest and detain anyone who might be there with you, even if they don't have a removal order in place."
A processing center for U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) is also on Blossom Hill Road.
A man who visited the center on Thursday to take his fingerprints for his legal residency application said he was worried about showing up because of the recent arrests.
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SIGN UP Newcomb said the fingerprint appointments are safe since USCIS is not part of ICE.
