DHAKA: Four Bangladeshis have been arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York as the local law enforcement agencies have launched a massive crackdown on undocumented illegal immigrants since Donald Trump returned to office as the 47th President of the United States on Monday.
The four Bangladeshis were arrested by the ICE from the Fulton area of the Brooklyn borough of New York, Bangladesh's leading daily Prothom Alo reported on Wednesday.
It revealed further that undocumented illegal immigrants have been living "in fear" since Trump was sworn in and passed a series of executive orders related to immigration.
"It has been observed on the ground that the streets and restaurants in Bengali-dominated areas, where there used to be a large crowd of people, are now almost completely empty. Security arrangements have already been strengthened, " the newspaper reported.
The also report quoted Khadija Muntaha Ruba, a law enforcement officer working with immigrants in New York, as saying that the undocumented Bangladeshis were arrested while they were "hanging out" in the area.
"Muntaha advised Bangladeshis to be cautious and said that they should cooperate if questioned by members of any law enforcement agency. They should stop working with someone else's work permit. In these difficult times, they should not get involved in unnecessary police or other disputes or troubles, " it added.
The US Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday that it would reinstate 'Remain in Mexico', a policy from the first Trump administration, that requires anyone seeking to enter the United States through Mexico to remain in that country.
In an Executive Order signed on January 20, immediately after he took office, Trump emphasised that, over the last four years, the prior administration "invited, administered, and oversaw" an unprecedented flood of illegal immigration into the United States.
"Millions of illegal aliens crossed our borders or were permitted to fly directly into the United States on commercial flights and allowed to settle in American communities, in violation of longstanding Federal laws, " it said.
"Many of these aliens unlawfully within the United States present significant threats to national security and public safety, committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans. Others are engaged in hostile activities, including espionage, economic espionage, and preparations for terror-related activities, " the order stated.
The number of Bangladeshis arriving in the United States has been surging at an alarming level over the past couple of decades.
Several recent reports have indicated that Bangladeshis are also amongst the fastest-growing Asian ethnic groups in New York City.