Penn Station Bathroom Cruising Crackdown Leads to ICE Detentions
Since June, Amtrak Police have arrested nearly 200 people at Penn Station for alleged public lewdness or indecent exposure, prompted by customer complaints and targeting illicit activity in the men’s bathroom. This crackdown has resulted in at least 20 immigrants being taken into ICE custody due to the Amtrak Police Department’s federal status, which requires them to alert ICE if an individual is flagged. Plainclothes officers have been deployed to catch those seeking sexual encounters, leading to arrests based on suspicion of illegal behavior, including prolonged use of urinals, according to reports. While state and city laws restrict NYPD cooperation with ICE, Amtrak, as a federal agency, is obligated to report individuals with ICE detainers.
John Q. Hosedrinker