Federal officials are investigating after a “white powdery substance” was removed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in Dallas and Irving Friday.
Law enforcement and fire and rescue crews were called to the Dallas ICE Field office just before 7 a.m. to respond to reports of a suspicious package found inside.
The Dallas Fire-Rescue call log showed at least 16 units were dispatched to the facility off of North Stemmons Freeway, including for “hazmat” and “package.”
Dallas Fire Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans told KERA in a statement the Hazmat team determined the substance was not dangerous. But a volunteer immigration advocate at the facility Friday morning described a “chaotic” scene as people waited to hear what was going on inside.
“Of course they were panicking,” said community organizer Sandra Avalos. “They thought it was a shooter again.”
The office was the site of a shooting in September that killed two migrant men and wounded a third in what federal officials say was a targeted attack on ICE. The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, then turned the gun on himself.
Avalos said people were also concerned what would happen if they missed their appointments with immigration officials.
“Is there going to be a warrant for their arrest, or an order of deportation?” Avalos said.
ICE confirmed in an email to KERA that all appointments were honored Friday after the office reopened, and people will be able to reschedule their appointments if needed.
The agency said a “white powdery substance” was found in an envelope addressed to the Dallas ICE facility; a similar envelope was found at the Irving ICE office.
“There is no threat to the public and the matter is under investigation,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
She described a string of attacks on ICE facilities recently, including the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado on July 4, and an incident in New York City in August in which a white powder was found in ICE offices there.
The Dallas FBI also took part in the investigation. A spokesperson told KERA via statement that preliminary testing determined there were no threats to public safety – and although the majority of white-powder letters are determined to be hoaxes, ”no threat is taken lightly.”
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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