Community leaders, immigrant rights advocates speak out as ICE arrests surge across South Florida

South Florida community leaders, immigrant rights advocates, directly impacted families and elected officials are set to hold a news conference Wednesday morning to address the sharp increase in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests across the region.

Earlier this week, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) ended for hundreds of thousands of Haitians who have been living and working in the U.S. since a devastating earthquake rocked the country in 2010.

The decision to end TPS for Haitians in the U.S., including here in South Florida, has sparked fear across the community for those who have called the U.S. home for years.

Families who have been impacted by the decision to end TPS say they're concerned about racial profiling, due process and the growing collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and ICE.

"The recent surge in immigration arrests is tearing families apart and creating a climate of fear across our communities," Yareliz Mendez Zamora, of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) said. "No one should be afraid to take their child to school, seek medical care, report a crime or go to work because local officials have chosen to aid a mass deportation agenda."

The news conference is being held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations facility in Miramar. 

Those speaking are expected to discuss how the increased enforcement is impacting families, the consequences for workers, businesses and neighborhoods, and the need for local leaders to protect residents regardless of immigration status.