Federal

St. Croix Immigration Raids Trigger New Alarm in USVI as Trump Reportedly Pulls Back From Broad Deportation Message

ST. CROIX — A new round of federal immigration enforcement on St. Croix on Thursday jolted the territory back into the immigration debate that had flared in the early months of President Donald Trump’s return to office, with community reports and video footage prompting concern, condemnation, and renewed questions about how these operations are being carried out in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In a statement issued Thursday, Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett said her office had reviewed reports and footage from the island and confirmed that the actions were conducted by Border Patrol agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Plaskett said the March 19 actions on St. Croix were “part of an initiative allegedly targeting individuals with criminal records,” but she made clear that the way the operation was carried out has become a matter of concern in its own right. “I am deeply concerned by these enforcement actions and the manner in which they were carried out,” she said. “...