Alleged bounty hunter’s claims spark controversy at Sunnyside press conference

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SUNNYSIDE, Wash. – A recent press conference in Sunnyside addressing the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took an unexpected turn when a man claiming to be a bounty hunter from the Seattle area made alarming statements.

The Press conference was held at the Sunnyside Police Department and garnered an audience of dozens of people, as well as multiple media outlets. Towards the end of conference, a man approached the podium, claiming to work as a bounty hunter. He informed the room that ICE was going to be making a larger presence in the area.

“Tacoma called me and told me that as the waves go through, this is the first wave. The second and third is when they’re going to hire us,” said the man.

According to the alleged bounty hunter, ICE would be hiring workers in his profession and rewarding them between $1000 and $1500 per person. He followed with questions towards the city officials, asking what they were going to do to stop them, claiming they were immune from certain laws after being deputized by ICE.

“…If we’re going to be deputized by ICE, we can pretty much do anything we want,” said the man.

Mike Gonzalez, city manager and one of the five city officials present, said that he was shocked at the man’s behavior.

“He was being rude. He was being disrespectful. And it almost seemed as if he was wanting to start a fight in there,” said Gonzalez. “So I just felt like at that moment, really from a public safety element, we had to get him out of there.”

After the man exchanged conversations with both public attendees and the city officials, he was escorted out of the press conference.

Washington State Senator Nikki Torres, representing District Fifteen, told NonStop Local today that she was aware of the incident. She believes that the person was trying to incite fear in the community.

“Bounty hunters are not law enforcement officers, so they don’t have the authority to conduct immigration enforcement or arrest. My perspective is he was there to fearmonger,” said Torres.

NonStop Local has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but has been unable to secure an interview yet.

 

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