CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been conducting early-morning traffic stops in Nampa this week, according to a local advocacy group and multiple eyewitness accounts.
Tim Cook, a Nampa business owner, witnessed one such incident on Wednesday morning at the intersection of Canyon and Roosevelt. He recorded video as officers surrounded a driver just feet from his driveway.
"I mean, it was almost like a kidnapping. It was gone in 90 seconds," Cook recounted.
Cook said he and his wife were having coffee when they saw three cars surround a stopped truck outside their home. Initially assuming it was a routine traffic stop, they quickly realized the situation was different.
WATCH: A Nampa man recorded what he says was a rapid ICE stop outside his home
"At the time, we thought it was just [the] police. They got out, had their assault rifles and guns drawn on this truck, and we're like, 'Oh goodness.' And then my wife noticed their vests said ICE, and we're like, 'oh great, this might get really ugly,'" Cook said.
The incident occurred around 7 a.m. Wednesday, and Cook said it appeared the man was simply driving to work.
"The government says, 'Oh, we're just going after the bad guys.' Do you know if this guy was a bad guy? You don't know," added Cook. "And that's the concerning part."
Cook described the rapid nature of the detention, saying the driver likely didn't have time to contact family members.
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"The guy got out, they put handcuffs on him, led him to the van, moved his truck across the street — and they were gone," Cook said.
As a business owner who hires people of all backgrounds, Cook expressed concern about the broader community impact as some residents become fearful of leaving their homes.
Cook expressed that in the current climate, he worries that some Hispanic community members may be afraid of leaving their home for fear of being pulled over for "driving brown."
PODER of Idaho, which stands for Protecting Our Dreams, Empowerment, and Resilience, has received multiple reports of similar early-morning traffic stops this week. The organization was founded in 2016 to protect DACA recipients and now advocates for Idaho's Hispanic and immigrant communities.
Executive Director Estefanía Mondragón said many incidents involve people driving to work.
"It started at— I wanna say 8 in the morning, and one of my friends, she called me and said, you know, 3 of my family members have been picked up," Mondragón recounted.
Mondragón advises families to prepare for potential encounters with immigration enforcement.
"Memorize phone numbers and have a family plan ready in case the worst is to happen," cautioned Mondragón.
The organization believes some stops may be unlawful, and they encourage families to know their rights during encounters with immigration officers.
"So you do have the right to remain silent and not sign any paperwork until you have your lawyer present," Mondragón said.
ICE has not responded to multiple requests for comment about the specific incident or the number of operations conducted in Canyon County this week.
PODER of Idaho has resources available online for families needing support, and can be contacted directly for assistance.
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