Austin Congressman calls for investigation following ICE construction-site raid

cbsaustin.com · By Andrew Freeman · 2025-08-07T03:36:37.000Z

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin area Congressman Greg Casar is calling for an investigation into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at an East Austin construction site last week.He says it's one of several recent workplace raids in the Austin-San Antonio area.The Workers Defense Action Fund joined Casar in saying the targeting of an east Austin construction site last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement is unacceptable."What happened here is outrageous, but it's been happening all over the country." David Chincanchan, a policy director with the Workers Defense Action Fund, said. "You can hear the construction noises behind us. They targeted this place because it's immigrant workers building our cities, it's immigrant workers who are building our homes."Casar says these types of raids violate civil rights. Now he's demanding they be investigated."Trump said he was campaigning for president, and he was going to go after dangerous people. Instead, he's been going after dads at the job site." Casar said. "It's clear to me that Donald Trump was lying when he said he was going after criminals. It's clear he's going after childcare workers, construction workers, and grandmothers and dads. And that's what's got to stop."Casar says his biggest concern is the innocent people who get caught up in these raids."They arrest innocent immigrants, sometimes undocumented, sometimes documented," Casar said. "And in many cases, they've detained and arrested U.S. citizens."ALSO| Texas Supreme Court Orders response from Democrat Gene Wu in legal battle over quorumKEYEIn this letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, he's calling for transparency, including asking where these recent raids have happened, details of those who were caught up in them, and the number of people who've been arrested or detained. Right now, that remains unclear.He's also asking for the names of ICE agents who reportedly used masks to conceal their identity."At the end of the day, our constitutional rights need to be for everyone, not just a few," Casar said. "And there needs to be accountability and transparency from Trump's administration."In April, CBS News asked 'Border Czar' Tom Homan about the administration's immigration tactics, and he reiterated that anyone in the country illegally can be a target."If you're in the country illegally, you're on the table," Homan said.Casar was also joined by Austin city councilmembers Jose Velasquez and Jose 'Chito' Vella. They're asking Austinites and business owners to take advantage of the city's equity classes."We have to look out for each other and take care of our neighbors," Velasquez said. "Our best defense is to know your rights before something happens."CBS Austin reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE and is waiting to hear back.