An investigation is underway in Fife after suspected U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement impersonators targeted a local Ukrainian store on Sunday.
The impersonators staked out Emish Market on 70th Avenue East at about 5 p.m. while they were inside a Ford SUV, decorated with false “ICE” decals and symbols to reference the department, according to the Fife Police Department in a news release. Police say the emblems appeared to have “distortion and misspellings.”
“The vehicle also had ‘1775’ on the top rear area, and ‘911’ displayed on the rear of the vehicle, but had no license plates,” the release said.
The release said the SUV circled the market’s parking lot. When it was parked, the SUV took up two parking spaces in front of the store.
“There were reports that the driver was honking the horn, and subject(s) inside were video recording the event,” the release said.
The driveway of the market was blocked until a security guard confronted them. The SUV then drove away.
Witnesses told police that there were multiple people in the SUV, Fife PD’s assistant chief Doug Newman told The News Tribune.
Newman said they have been getting information on social media that the vehicle possibly was seen in the South Sound area before. Investigators are working to get information about whether other law enforcement agencies have taken official reports on the SUV. He said this is the first time the Fife Police Department has encountered people impersonating ICE agents.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents are highly trained and dedicated professionals who are sworn to uphold the law, protect the American people and support U.S. national security interests. ICE strongly condemns the impersonation of its officers or agents,” according to an ICE spokesperson in a statement. “This action is not only dangerous, but illegal. Imposters can be charged with various criminal offenses both at the state/local level, as well as federally.”
Emish Market, which opened about three years ago, imports much of its products from Ukraine and other parts of Europe. About 60 to 70 percent of its employees are from Ukraine and immigrated legally through the Uniting with Ukraine program, Olena Ray, the store’s manager, told The News Tribune.
“It’s just a little bit uncomfortable because we don’t know what to expect, but we definitely don’t want someone to come and pretend to be authorities and scaring people,” Ray said.
Ray said the ICE impersonators were “driving crazy,” and she believes they have been high or drunk. Many people in the store were uncomfortable during the incident, she said.
“I feel that because, again, it doesn’t matter if [the impersonators] are real or not real, people are a little bit afraid because they don’t know what to expect,” she said.
Ray said she’s been calling Fife police every day to get updates so she can let her employees know that the impersonators have been caught.
“We support Ukrainians by giving them jobs here, while we providing them food they are used to,” she said.“We exporting a lot of products from Ukraine so we help Ukraine by supporting Ukrainian business as well.”
Ray said Emish Market brings in a little bit of Ukraine to the United States, and it is important that the business does not lose customers because of the impersonators.
“I don’t want our customers to get offended or intimidated by fake authority,” she said.
No arrests had been made as of Wednesday. The release said the Police Department is working with the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI Seattle Field Office for the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fife Police Department’s non-emergency phone number at 253-922-6633 and reference case number #2507501372.
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