Advocates have expressed alarm about the arrests of at least 10 people Thursday evening in Ambridge in a roundup involving Ambridge police and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

In a statement released Friday, Casa San José — a Pittsburgh community center that advocates for Latinos — accused Ambridge police of collaborating with ICE in what they described as an hourslong raid targeting immigrant members of the Beaver County community.

Beaver County officials said ICE agents were present but were operating independently from local and county law enforcement involved in the roundup.

According to Casa San José, the arrests began at about 8 p.m. in streets in the vicinity of the Monroy Super Market, a store that specializes in Latin American, South American and Caribbean products.

Casa San José charged that people were being targeted by police and federal agents “based solely on appearance.”

“This was not public safety,” Monica Ruiz, executive director of Casa San José, said in the statement. “This was targeted chaos, a show of power meant to terrorize immigrant families. People were emotionally shattered.”

In a separate press release issued Friday, Beaver County District Attorney Nathan L. Bible said Ambridge police on Thursday were partnering with the county’s Sheriff’s Office, county detectives bureau, probation office and county Drug Task Force in a “saturation operation” in Ambridge.

Bible said, “The purpose of the operation was to round up any individuals with outstanding warrants, in addition to policing any general criminal activity. While federal agents from ICE were present, this was in no way an ‘ICE raid.’

“The Beaver County agencies and Ambridge P.D. were conducting legal traffic stops, making arrests on individuals committing crimes and apprehending individuals with outstanding warrants.”

Bible continued, “Once an individual is arrested, the local authorities have no control over what an outside federal agency does with regard to the immigration status of the arrestee.

”Some individuals were detained by ICE, however those individuals had committed an underlying crime or traffic infraction, which then triggered the ICE detainer.”

Bible said no Ambridge residences or businesses were raided during Thursday’s enforcement operation.

Casa San José said those arrested included two witnesses whom they maintain were denied legal representation.

Amy Mathieu, an attorney in Allegheny County, posted on social media that she and her wife, Katie Melson, went to Ambridge to observe and document the police action. According to Mathieu, when onlookers attempted to document the arrest of a man who was also there to observe, police demanded that the crowd move back.

Mathieu said the onlookers already were about 100 feet back from where the man was being arrested and Melson questioned “why they were asking us to move and how far back.”

According to Mathieu, an Ambridge police officer pushed Melson and ordered her to comply with the order.

“Before she could take another step, multiple officers grabbed her and arrested her,” Mathieu wrote.

Mathieu charged that Melson wasn’t read her Miranda rights and was refused access to an attorney.

An attempt to reach Ambridge police Friday evening was unsuccessful.

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In a video posted online by Mathieu, an officer is seen telling her that Melson hadn’t requested that Mathieu serve as her attorney.

An online court docket indicates Melson, 45, of Pittsburgh was charged with obstructing the administration of law, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and harassment. She was placed in the Beaver County Jail before being released Friday on $10,000 bond.

Ambridge police also arrested Isaac Elias, 43, of Baden during the incident. He was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He also was placed in the county jail before being released Friday on $5,000 bail, according to court records.

Melson and Elias face Aug. 12 preliminary hearings before District Judge Edward Howe.

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