ICE: We Won't Conduct Enforcement Activities During Dorian

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Friday that, as Hurricane Dorian nears Florida, it would "not conduct immigration enforcement operations at hurricane evacuation sites or shelters, such as during and immediately after hurricanes."

ICE, the immigration enforcement agency, has often suspended operations during or after hurricanes — though some illegal immigrants fear they may be arrested when checking into shelters because of their status, CNN reports.

Dorian is expected to reach Florida early next week as a Category 4 hurricane, eventually creating "a prolonged period of storm surge, high winds and rainfall" across the state.

Officials are encouraging residents to have at least a week's worth of food, supplies, and medicine on hand as the hurricane pushes toward the United States.

"A crisis such as the devastation and destruction caused by a hurricane is not a time to compound one tragedy upon another by spreading fear in our community with false rumors of ICE operations," ICE said in a statement reported by CNN.

"Instead, we must stand as one community to focus on aiding the victims."

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