The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently emphasized the importance of seeking safety and support regardless of immigration status following recent wildfires in Colorado, stating that those fearing deportations are protected during the emergency effort.

Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not be conducting operations within protected areas including emergency response and relief sites, a Jan. 6 DHS press release said.

“To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones,” the DHS said in the release. 

ICE and CBP agents may help in “search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and other public safety missions” at the request of FEMA, the release said. The agencies will not conduct immigration enforcement in these roles and DHS officials will not take part in any immigration enforcement activities. 

DHS emphasized they do not want to prevent individuals from accessing or engaging in essential services including medical care, children’s access to schools, displaced access to food and shelter and access to their place of worship, DHS said on their website.

“Please go to www.disasterassistance.gov/get-assistance/forms for instructions on how to apply for FEMA disaster assistance,” the release said.