U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's receives tough criticism from the Latino community regarding immigration and deportation policies. At the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) annual national convention in Manhattan, ICE's San Antonio Field Office Director Enrique Lucero tried to clarify his agency's responsibilities during a session titled "Deportation Nation: Immigration Reform Crisis and Opportunity."

According to Lucero, a third-generation American, the south Texas border has become "Ground Zero."

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not the enemy here," Lucero said, adding his attendance at the LULAC session, sponsored by Teach for America, was to help dispel myths and rumors regarding ICE.

"ICE, in general, can be very controversial as immigration, there's very passionate views on both sides," he said, noting he's not inserting his personal views. "The job I take is basically to enforce the laws the Congress has passed. That's what we do."

Lucero stated ICE doesn't get enough "good credit" but instead receives a bad reputation for "breaking up families or deporting the wrong person" based on some individuals or the media's beliefs.

"We often don't get credit for taking in a rapist, a murderer in the communities we all live in off the streets and deport them to their home countries. We don't get a lot of credit for granting a state of deportation ... to allow them to stay in the United States for a humanitarian reason for instance having three U.S. children or seeking some type of medical attention or granting deferred actions," Lucero said.

Lucero emphasized that ICE serves the government and the laws Congress passes. According to the San Antonio field office director, ICE doesn't have the authority to detain a child, a responsibility that was taken away by the Department of Homeland Security.

In regards to the southern border of the U.S., Lucero stated he's working "hand in hand" with the actions ordered by President Barack Obama to help solve the issues, particularly the influx of children crossing the border.

Lucero said most of the recent immigrants are from Central American countries. He noted 50 percent of the incoming immigrants are a mix of unaccompanied children and families with children, an aspect Lucero considered "new" for ICE. The average number of children arrested at the border everyday is about 200 per day, which "overwhelmed the system."

Lucero said most of the immigrants are coming through the southwest border of the U.S., and the current pace of migration has led to overcrowding conditions for border patrol.

"Border patrol, ICE recognizes that that a detention cell is no place for a child," Lucero said. "We want to get them out of there as fast as possible and we're really tied to our hands with the Office of Refugee and Settlement, waiting to send children back to those shelters."

Prior to his current role as field office director, Lucero had "risen through the ranks" in ICE, LatinoJustice PRLDEF Deputy General Counsel Jose Perez noted. As FedAgent noted, Lucero served as deputy assistant director for the Compliance Enforcement Division, unit chief of Criminal Alien Program Operations, national program manager for the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit, senior special agent, special agent, senior patrol agent and border patrol agent. He also received the 2007 ICE Assistant Secretary's Award for Protecting the Homeland for his work in San Diego.

Lucero told the LULAC audience he would not respond to questions regarding pending legislation in Congress or budget requests.

__

For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.