Federal immigration authorities earlier this week announced more than 400 arrests and 500 deportations in the Houston district as part of what they said was a seven-day operation, but who was caught up in the crackdown remains largely a mystery.

The roundup occurred between May 4 and 10, but authorities provided little in the way of information that would help verify the information. While 400 arrests sounds like a big number, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Houston field office covers 54 counties across a large swath of southeast Texas. And there’s no list of names or specific charges facing those arrested.

Officials with the federal immigration office said they’re following longstanding policy that requires them to balance providing public information with the individuals’ rights to privacy in how they release information about the raids.

The recent news release is a perfect example of the difficulty in verifying information about the immigration system – longstanding issues that have been exacerbated by a presidential administration eager to tout its toughness on immigration, immigration experts said.

“In no way is the (President Donald) Trump administration new in issuing seemingly random numbers that don’t make sense,” said Aron Thorn, a senior attorney on the Beyond Borders team with the Texas Civil Rights Project. “…What is new is the extreme nature of the chest-beating around the numbers.”

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/ice-operation-houston-arrests-deportations-unclear-20328747.php