Clergy from Maui and O'ahu yesterday presented a letter of protest to the office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement over what they say are overly aggressive tactics used to find illegal residents.

The group said it supports American laws concerning illegal entry into the United States, but that it does not condone it at the expense of anyone's civil rights.

Federal officers are increasingly pulling cars over for no apparent reason and walking into people's homes without consent or search warrants, said Pastor Susana Arvizu of Maui. Once inside, they question everyone even though they say they are looking for one specific person, Arvizu said.

"They're stopping people's cars ... just because they look Hispanic," said Arvizu, adding that Hispanics seem to be targeted on Maui. "They don't even ask for license or insurance card. They just ask: Do you have papers? Do you have a green card?"

An agency spokeswoman, Lori Haley, said its personnel are sworn to uphold the law.

"We do so professionally, humanely and with an acute awareness of the impact enforcement has on the individuals we encounter," Haley said in an e-mail. "ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) expects its officers to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and personal integrity."

About a dozen clergy members, including five from Maui, met with Clarence Wagner, chief counsel for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Hawai'i. They presented a letter and asked that it be delivered to President Obama, asking him to stop the raids, said Drew Astolfi, state director for Faith Action for Community Equity, a faith-based social activist group.

Wagner did not respond to an Advertiser request for comment.

"We're hoping he can soften the way (raids) are conducted, but we would like to see the raids stopped altogether," Astolfi said.

Pastor Tasha Kama said Wagner will meet with her group and that she will bring people who were wrongfully detained and traumatized by the raids.

"He (will) see that what we have said is not just hearsay or third party," Kama said. "It's people who have actually been involved."

To report allegations of misconduct, write to: Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C., 20528; Attention: Office of Inspector General — Hotline.