{"id":1863,"date":"2026-10-27T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelatinamericans.com\/?p=1863"},"modified":"2026-10-26T18:10:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T00:10:48","slug":"ice-barrio-obrero-san-juan-enfrentamiento-vecinos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelatinamericans.com\/en\/residents-of-barrio-obrero-and-ice-agents-clash-in-san-juan-during-an-operation\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents of Barrio Obrero and ICE agents clash in San Juan during an operation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Residents of Barrio Obrero, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had a tense confrontation during an immigration operation, according to a video released October 26, 2026. In the 28-second clip, neighbors confront the agents while recording them with their phones. They say the agents threatened them for doing so.<\/p>\n

What is known and what is not<\/h2>\n

As of publication, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had not released a version of the confrontation or figures for the operation. What is known comes from residents and local reports and has not been confirmed by official sources.<\/p>\n

According to those reports, the operation began Thursday, October 22, and spread to Barrio Obrero, Villa Palmeras, and other areas of San Juan. Residents say Dominicans are among those detained. It was also reported that an agent pointed pepper spray at a member of the Colectiva Feminista en Construcci\u00f3n who was documenting an operation. ICE has not confirmed that account either.<\/p>\n

The municipality\u2019s response<\/h2>\n

The mayor of San Juan, Miguel Romero Lugo, called for the interventions to be investigated. According to reports, he instructed municipal police that they \u201cwill not participate in or provide support for these immigration enforcement operations,\u201d and said affected families can request guidance from the municipality. He also condemned threats against members of the Colectiva Feminista.<\/p>\n

Background on Barrio Obrero<\/h2>\n

Barrio Obrero, in Santurce, is a hub of the island\u2019s Dominican community. In May 2025, ICE reported in a official statement<\/a> that on May 17, 2025, arrested six people of Dominican nationality at an establishment in that neighborhood. The operation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with support from the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office of ICE, the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the ATF. According to ICE, they were taken into custody pending removal.<\/p>\n

What does it mean to you?<\/h2>\n