"They're Gone": Families Torn Apart as ICE Arrests Five in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Texas (TXAN 24) - The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested five individuals in Jacksonville on Thursday as part of a

"targeted enforcement action."

According to a statement from Sheriff Brent Dickson, an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations team, alongside Homeland Security investigators, conducted the arrests.

The individuals, described only as "undocumented aliens ranging in age from mid-30s to mid-60s with criminal histories," were taken into custody.

No further details about their charges or past offenses have been released.

The arrests come as East Texas experiences an increased ICE presence, creating fear and uncertainty within immigrant communities. Just last week, several East Texas sheriffs held a Q&A session in Tyler to clarify their role in federal immigration enforcement.

While Cherokee County is not part of ICE's 287(g) program-unlike Smith and Gregg counties, which recently joined-it remains an area of focus in ongoing ICE operations.

For many families, these crackdowns serve as yet another reminder of the instability they face daily.

Without clarity on the specifics of these arrests, the reality remains that communities are left in fear, unsure of who may be taken next.