Home Depot Accused of Cooperating with ICE Amid Detention of Man at Houston Store

A group of immigration advocates in Houston, Texas, accused Home Depot of cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the agency detained a man near one of its locations.

The incident occurred when Juan Francisco Monroy Turuy was arrested by ICE agents while he was at a Home Depot store near Houston. According to the Houston Police Department, Monroy Turuy had called HPD to report a shooting before being detained by ICE.

FIEL Houston executive director Cesar Espinosa alleged that Home Depot's cooperation with ICE is not limited to this incident, but rather is a pattern of behavior by the company. 'They almost invite them to come in and do these types of work,' Espinosa said during a press conference outside a Home Depot store.

Home Depot has denied any involvement with ICE, stating that it does not coordinate with the agency or provide access to its parking lots. However, the company does use automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in its parking lots, which some advocates argue could be used to track and identify individuals for deportation.

The Flock safety camera system, which provides ALPR technology to Home Depot, has been criticized by advocates who claim that it can facilitate ICE's activities. While the company states that ICE does not have direct access to its cameras or systems, some news outlets have reported that local police departments can grant federal agents access to their Flock systems.

The incident has raised concerns about the relationship between Home Depot and ICE, as well as the use of ALPR technology in private parking lots. Advocates are calling for greater transparency and accountability from companies like Home Depot regarding their dealings with immigration authorities.