ICE Raid Unsubstantiated In Cheltenham Township

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — ICE raids are sweeping Montgomery County over the past week as President Donald Trump's nationwide crackdown, which has raised cries of civil rights abuses, continues.

While Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents swept through the greater Norristown area on Wednesday, smaller raids and arrests in recent days were reported by watch groups, including one in Cheltenham Township.

But Cheltenham Township Police told Patch Thursday that the report was unsubstantiated.

"We have no information regarding any operations by ICE within Cheltenham Township," police said. "There were reports on social media of an ICE operation at a local business, but that was determined to be false after speaking to the business owner."

Montgomery County was one of 11 counties in Pennsylvania to make a special Homeland Security list of jurisdictions violating federal orders to comply with ICE agents. The county and its leadership have been outspoken both in support of immigrants and in rejecting calls from ICE for the support of local law enforcement.

Montgomery County has recently created a new Immigrant Resource Center and hired a new director of Immigrant Affairs since Trump's inauguration. Commissioner Jamila Winder said "we are taking every step we can" to support the immigrant community.

Patch Staff Writer Justin Heinze contributed to this report.