By George P.  Hassett

Immigrant advocates are denouncing a recent federal immigration action in East Somerville, saying that agents intimidated a family of documented immigrants while looking for another man in a Franklin Street building last week.
On Thursday, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, conducted an operation in Somerville, said Patricia Montes, executive director of Centro Presente, a Somerville based immigrant rights group.
ICE agents entered a Franklin Street building looking for a man who no longer lives there. Montes said ICE agents went throughout the building asking for people’s names and identification.
“Far from being an isolated event this act was typical of the tactics of intimidation used by ICE in our communities.  ICE agents entered the bedroom of a 10 year old girl who is a native born citizen and questioned her without any just cause or legal right, leaving the entire family fearful and insecure,” according to a release from Centro Presente.
ICE has been in Somerville before to arrest alleged gang members. Immigrant groups such as Centro Presente have been critical of their actions and tactics.
“We are going to continue denouncing ICE’s arbitrary actions and educating our community about the human and constitutional rights that they have regardless of their immigration or citizenship status,” said Montes.