Approximately 40 Cambodians, some of whom have never set foot in Cambodia, were deported on Monday following targeted raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to immigration advocates.
These deportations have become routine in Cambodian communities across the country, as the Trump administration has ramped up its immigration enforcement. In fiscal year 2018, a record 110 Cambodians were deported, compared to just 29 and 74in the two previous fiscal years.
ICE began consistently issuing final orders of removal for dozens of Cambodians across the country every four months beginning in 2017. The agency’s justification for targeting this group specifically is that many of them are “criminals” and their removal “[makes] our communities safer.”
