Is ICE Becoming More Active in Las Vegas?

Posted on January 26

Rob Kachelriess

The exterior of the Henderson Detention Center.

The Henderson Detention Center sits quietly near Water Street. (Rob Kachelriess/City Cast Las Vegas)

🚨 Is the Presence of ICE Growing in Las Vegas?

LV Defensa, a volunteer group that tracks the local activity of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says calls are coming in daily from all corners of the valley. ICE raids are more high-profile in cities like Minneapolis and Portland, but operate more quickly and quietly in Southern Nevada. [KLAS]

ICE is fast. They have kind of changed their tactics to where they are much faster, so that it’s harder for people to come and record illegal activity or alert others.Madison Heynen, LV Defensa volunteer

A Republican Party spokesperson says groups like LV Defensa unfairly “demonize” law enforcement. As covered in last week’s Friday news roundup, Nevada’s two Democratic U.S. senators are trying to find common ground — not “defunding” ICE, but proposing to shift some of the agency’s funding to local law enforcement instead. [Nevada Current]

Sen. Jacky Rosen says ICE is moving too fast, citing the recent deportation of a Guatemalan who was facing charges in a deadly Las Vegas crash. She says it’s not about rights for the suspect, but justice for a woman who died. [KLAS]

If somebody has broken the law, they should be adjudicated here and not be deported. ICE is out of control.Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada

Local detainees are held at either the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump or the Henderson Detention Center. As ICE agents operate with "absolute immunity” (or maybe not) in other parts of the country, Henderson residents voiced both support and opposition to local detainments during a City Hall meeting last week. [KSNV]

An asylum seeker from Turkey, whose application was denied, has been held at the Henderson Detention Center for more than 100 days. Despite a high-risk pregnancy, the woman claims she is only receiving minimal health care and no prenatal assistance. [Nevada Independent]

Sen. Rosen is also calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after the deadly shooting of a second protester in Minneapolis over the weekend. [Associated Press]

Hundreds protested on Fremont Street and in Boca Park in response to aggressive federal activity in Minnesota. [KTNV]

City Cast Twin Cities was there as thousands protested in Minneapolis during subzero temperatures and has the latest on the killing of protester Alex Pretti. [Instagram/City Cast Twin Cities 🎧]

City Cast Philly wrote a guide on your rights and what to say when questioned by immigration or border enforcement officers, most of which applies nationwide. [Hey Philly ✍️]

City Cast Las Vegas explains why ICE enforcement was expected to ramp up locally in 2026. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]