Immigration

As Immigrant Arrests Rise, Hawaiʻi Political Leaders Condemn ICE Tactics Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

As Immigrant Arrests Rise, Hawaiʻi Political Leaders Condemn ICE Tactics

Rep. Ed Case, the lone holdout, said criticisms didn’t capture his or constituents’ views on immigration.

ICE Takes Aim At Immigrant Kids In Big Island’s Coffee Belt Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

ICE Takes Aim At Immigrant Kids In Big Island’s Coffee Belt

President Trump has said he wants to deport hardened criminals. But on Hawaiʻi, agents are snaring undocumented children and their adult relatives.

Hawaiʻi Cops Said They Don’t Have Agreements With ICE. They Do David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Hawaiʻi Cops Said They Don’t Have Agreements With ICE. They Do

Advocates fear the agreements will be a slippery slope to local police becoming more involved in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

Divided Big Island Council Signs Off On Police MOUs with Feds David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Divided Big Island Council Signs Off On Police MOUs with Feds

The council added language that the agreements don’t authorize local officers to enforce immigration laws

Big Island Committee Punts Approval Of Police MOUs With Feds To Full Council Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Big Island Committee Punts Approval Of Police MOUs With Feds To Full Council

Police chief says enforcing immigration law is not his department’s role.

Alarm Sounded Over Big Island Police Pacts With Federal Immigration Agency Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press/2024

Alarm Sounded Over Big Island Police Pacts With Federal Immigration Agency

The MOUs have existed for years but in the new Trump era they are red flags for immigrants and their advocates, especially after Kona raids last week.

Immigration Crackdown Begins In Hawaiʻi As Advocates, Lawmakers Push Back David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Immigration Crackdown Begins In Hawaiʻi As Advocates, Lawmakers Push Back

Legislation to protect the undocumented, including a bill to prevent local law enforcement from working with immigration agents, will be heard in the Capitol on Wednesday.

Amid Deportation Threats, Hawaiʻi’s Immigrants  Brace For President Trump Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Amid Deportation Threats, Hawaiʻi’s Immigrants Brace For President Trump

The immigrant community is living with worry and unease, leading advocates to step up education and outreach.

Data Dive: Hawaiʻi Deportation Cases Hit Quarter-Century High David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Data Dive: Hawaiʻi Deportation Cases Hit Quarter-Century High

The backlog of cases in U.S. immigration courts has tripled since 2017 and is at record levels in Hawaiʻi. Most involve immigrants from China.

An ICE Detention In Lahaina Rocks The Immigrant Community Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024

An ICE Detention In Lahaina Rocks The Immigrant Community

Maui Roots Reborn, an immigration advocacy agency, says one of its clients was detained on Tuesday.