DHS defends ICE arrest of undocumented immigrant at Augsburg University

Federal immigration enforcement officials are providing more information about a weekend arrest on Augsburg University’s campus that left some students and administrators concerned.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said agents had a warrant for the arrest of an undocumented immigrant, but the university stated that ICE agents said they did not have a warrant.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said ICE officers arrested Jesus Saucedo-Portillo while he was getting into his car on campus on Saturday afternoon.

RELATED: Augsburg University officials say ICE agents detained student without warrant, sparking campus concern 

DHS officials said Saucedo-Portillo is a registered sex offender and has a prior arrest for driving while intoxicated.

A search of the Minnesota court records website and the national sex offender registry did not return any results for Saucedo-Portillo.

In an email to students and staff, Augsburg University’s provost said ICE agents in an unmarked car approached Saucedo-Portillo around 3 p.m. in Parking Lot B on campus.

The provost went on to say that campus security and an on-call administrator arrived, and the agents told them they did not have a judicial warrant.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused the administrator and campus security of attempting to obstruct the arrest and stated that ICE officials told university staff they had a warrant for Saucedo-Portillo’s arrest.

The full statement from Assistant Secretary McLaughlin is below.

“On December 6, ICE officers arrested Jesus Saucedo-Portillo, a criminal illegal alien while he was getting into his vehicle. He is a registered sex offender and has a previous arrest for driving while intoxicated.

“A university Administrator and campus security attempted to obstruct the arrest. Our officers told the school Administrator and campus security that ICE had a warrant for the illegal alien’s arrest. The school Administrator told ICE officers they were violating university policies. Our officers informed them that federal law supersedes any University policy and that if campus security would not stop blocking the law enforcement vehicle from exiting, they would be obstructing justice. The school administrator continued her efforts to block the vehicle from leaving and ordered campus security to stand in front of the vehicle. Our officers followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to clear the area and successfully arrested this criminal illegal alien.

“There is a growing trend of agitators and rioters obstructing the arrest of illegal aliens. Our officers are facing a more than 1050% increase in assaults against them as they arrest the worst of the worst including murderers, sexual predators, terrorists, and gang members.“

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has reached out to Augsburg University to confirm Saucedo-Portillo’s enrollment status.
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