Recent activity from federal agents, some of which has been documented on social media, has lead to increased anxiety around the region.
One video that has been shared frequently shows men in body armor near Holmes High School in Covington gathered around black SUVs, seemingly making arrests. Text on the body armor reads “FBI” and “police,” but it’s not clear if the men in video are, in fact, from those agencies or another agency. LINK nky has also received reports of a possible arrest in Newport by federal agents.
Both the Newport city government and the Newport Police Department have denied involvement in the arrests, saying they were not aware of them. Kenton County Dispatch has also denied any involvement and knowledge. All emphasized that federal authorities often do not keep municipal authorities informed as to their actions.
The city of Covington, on the other hand, issued a statement on Wednesday in response to the activity in which they disavow any involvement but acknowledge that feelings are running tense.
“The City of Covington was made aware today that federal agents were in Northern Kentucky conducting surveillance and enforcing warrants,” the statement reads. “To be clear, Covington and its Police Department had no role in and did not participate in the federal operation. Nevertheless, actions like these have created confusion and anxiety in our community. Our position is this: Every Covington citizen has Constitutional rights and deserves to be treated with dignity, and we will continue operating according to those principles”
You can read the full statement from the city about the federal activity here.
LINK nky has reached out to several immigrant community groups in the region. Anyone who is willing to share additional information with us is encouraged to contact us at news@linknky.com. Anonymous tips are welcome.