Federal officials are investigating after a 鈥渨hite powdery substance鈥� was removed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in Dallas and Irving Friday.
Law enforcement and fire and rescue crews were called to the Dallas ICE Field office just before 7 a.m. to respond to reports of a suspicious package found inside.
The Dallas Fire-Rescue call log showed at least 16 units were dispatched to the facility off of North Stemmons Freeway, including for 鈥渉azmat鈥� and 鈥減ackage.鈥�
Dallas Fire Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans told 四虎影院 in a statement the Hazmat team determined the substance was not dangerous. But a volunteer immigration advocate at the facility Friday morning described a 鈥渃haotic鈥� scene as people waited to hear what was going on inside.
鈥淥f course they were panicking,鈥� said community organizer Sandra Avalos. 鈥淭hey thought it was a shooter again.鈥�
The office was the site of a shooting in September that killed two migrant men and wounded a third in what federal officials say was a targeted attack on ICE. The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, then turned the gun on himself.
Avalos said people were also concerned what would happen if they missed their appointments with immigration officials.
鈥淚s there going to be a warrant for their arrest, or an order of deportation?鈥� Avalos said.
ICE confirmed in an email to 四虎影院 that all appointments were honored Friday after the office reopened, and people will be able to reschedule their appointments if needed.
The agency said a 鈥渨hite powdery substance鈥� was found in an envelope addressed to the Dallas ICE facility; a similar envelope was found at the Irving ICE office.
鈥淭here is no threat to the public and the matter is under investigation,鈥� Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
She described a string of attacks on ICE facilities recently, including the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado on July 4, and an incident in New York City in August in which a white powder was found in ICE offices there.
The Dallas FBI also took part in the investigation. A spokesperson told 四虎影院 via statement that preliminary testing determined there were no threats to public safety 鈥� and although the majority of white-powder letters are determined to be hoaxes, 鈥漬o threat is taken lightly.鈥�
Priscilla Rice is 四虎影院鈥檚 communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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