HSI and ICE Provide Emergency Assistance to Victims of Hurricane Isaac

As Hurricane Isaac's fury swept the Gulf Coast states, many Slidell, La., residents found themselves trapped in their flooded homes without any electrical power or cell phone service.

With flood waters reaching as high as 48 inches in some areas, the city's ambulances, fire engines and police cars were unable to navigate the flooded streets to reach these helpless residents.

That's when the St. Tammany Parish Emergency Operations Center turned to the Rapid Response Team from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans.

"The sheer volume of medical assistance calls and calls involving high-water evacuations throughout the city and parish were mounting," said William Black, HSI New Orleans supervisory special agent and Rapid Response Team mission coordinator. "The only way to reach many of the residences was with a high-water vehicle."

HSI New Orleans routinely works with both the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana State Police, so both agencies knew that HSI New Orleans' Rapid Response Team was their solution. One of 15 ICE Rapid Response Teams, their primary mission is to rapidly deploy during natural and manmade disasters, as well as emergency situations, when other federal, local or state agencies request ICE assistance.

HSI New Orleans is equipped with a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle that its Special Response Team and Rapid Response Team can deploy during emergencies. Weighing in at 30,000 pounds and standing approximately nine feet tall, this heavy-duty vehicle is well suited for emergency high-water rescue operations.

Within minutes of receiving the request, the team jumped into action. Forging through the water-logged streets of Eden Isles, which is located on Lake Pontchartrain's north shore and is an area of town prone to flooding, they rescued 12 individuals who could not evacuate their homes. After approximately five hours of combating the rainfall and storm surge, the flood waters rose above a safe operating level, and the team was forced to call off the day's rescue operations.

The next day, the parish called on the team to rescue two additional stranded individuals.
"The team members are professional special agents who volunteer to be a part of the Rapid Response Team," said Black. "When it's time to act, we act without hesitation."

ICE's Rapid Response Teams are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are always prepared to deploy to an affected area within 12 to 24 hours.

Immigration Benefits Available for Immigrants Affected by Hurricane Isaac

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds customers affected by Hurricane Isaac of certain U.S. immigration benefits that may be available to them.

USCIS understands that a natural disaster can affect an individual’s ability to maintain lawful immigration status. Eligible individuals may apply for temporary relief measures, including:

               A change or extension of nonimmigrant status for an individual currently in the United States, even when the request is filed after the authorized period of admission has expired;

               Extension or re-parole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;

               Advance parole, and expedited processing of advance parole applications;

               Expedited adjudication of requests for off-campus employment authorization applications for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;

               Expedited processing of immigrant petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and the spouses and children of lawful permanent residents (LPRs) whose priority dates are current;

               Expedited adjudication of employment authorization applications; and

               Assistance to LPRs stranded overseas without immigration or travel documents, such as Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards). USCIS and the Department of State will coordinate on these matters when LPRs are stranded in places that do not have a local USCIS office.

Visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program may visit a USCIS local office for assistance. Individuals affected by the hurricane who are at a U.S. airport may contact the nearest U.S. Customs and Border Protection office for assistance.

For more information on USCIS humanitarian programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. Hearing-impaired persons can call 1-800-767-1833.