Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance called federal immigration arrests in the state’s largest city “frustrating” and said the federal government should focus on helping with other crimes.
In an interview, LaFrance said the city has a number of public safety issues, pointing to a recent multi-agency effort that led to the seizure of over three pounds of fentanyl in Anchorage.
“If the federal agencies are going to take an interest in our community, I sure wish they would focus on like drugs and violent crimes,” LaFrance said. “We don't have, to my knowledge, any issues or problems with immigration here.”
LaFrance said the Anchorage Police Department operates separately from ICE, and has not assisted with those arrests. She said the heightened immigration enforcement comes at a time when Anchorage needs more residents.
“We've got outmigration,” LaFrance said. “We want people to come here. You know, we need workforce. And also we're a diverse place. You know, we appreciate the backgrounds that people have and our stories about why we came to Alaska.”
A spokesman with Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for the number of people who’ve been detained by ICE officials in Anchorage this year.
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