LENEXA, Kan. — The Lenexa City Council held its first meeting since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation at a local Mexican restaurant where workers were taken into custody.
That operation carried out last week has since brought community members together to stand in solidarity with those workers.
ICE agents said they were conducting a criminal federal search warrant to rescue victims of human trafficking.
A Lenexa city council member is now sharing that she was falsely accused of being an undocumented immigrant. She was reported to the authorities two weeks ago.
Immigration conversations were not on Tuesday night's council agenda, but they did take up the majority of the meeting. Dozens of Lenexa residents spoke out on the recent ICE operation, expressing their concern and anger.
Councilwoman Melanie Arroyo called on her fellow leaders to bring awareness and action to false immigration status allegations.
“If this happened to me, it could happen to anyone on this council," Councilwoman Arroyo said.
Councilwoman Arroyo is a naturalized U.S. citizen, but claims she was the subject of an immigration status allegation that she was not a legal citizen.
"I was made aware that someone read an op-ed that I had written earlier in the year and based off of that article that I wrote, someone inferred that I am not a US citizen," Councilwoman Arroyo said.
The Lenexa Police Department and the City of Lenexa let Councilwoman Arroyo know they were conducting a report of information, which is not a formal investigation.
“For me, it was scary, so I can't imagine what it must be like for members of the general public," she said.
Arroyo explained it was closed after she showed documentation to the Lenexa Police Department.
“I understand why things happened the way they did, but I think that we can do a better job of not putting our police in these awkward situations where they have to ask people for papers," Councilwoman Arroyo said.
Now, she's using her voice to call for city measures against false immigration allegations.
“What can [the city] do to create a sense of safety in our community and restore the public trust that we will take care of them," she said.
Councilwoman Arroyo was joined by dozens of people from the Lenexa community who also called on the city council to act following last week's ICE operation at the El Toro Loco restaurant.
“Each of you has a chance to work with your colleagues and the Lenexa police department to make sure this community is safe and inclusive for all people," one resident said.
State leaders also expressed their concern over the immigration operations in Johnson County.
“I hope that the council does look at some kind of an ordinance that can be put in place so that ICE knows you don’t [mess] around with Lenexa," Kansas State Representative Susan Ruiz said.
Several council members spoke up at Tuesday night's meeting about how the ICE operation was carried out.
“Labor violations do not necessarily require ICE agents," Councilwoman Chelsea Williamson said.
Many council members learned of Councilwoman Arroyo's immigration allegation for the first time on Tuesday night and responded to calls for awareness.
“If there’s something to be learned, we will have a conversation and learn from this," Mayor Julie Sayers said. "That is my assurance to you as the leader among this governing body.”
Lenexa's city attorney did speak to the allegation claims on Tuesday evening, saying the city did investigate the reported claim because Councilwoman Arroyo is a public official.
The city attorney stated they do not investigate the immigration status of Lenexa residents.
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