With the Trump Administration likely to continue the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on undocumented immigrants, Sunset Park’s federal, state and city elected representatives visited Sunset Park Hight School, 153 35th Street, last night to inform, educate, and empower the largely immigrant community on how to proceed with more raids looming.
These officials included U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Lower Manhattan), City Council Member Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook) and State Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, South Slope, Sunset Park).
According to the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and various reports, there were up to six ICE raids over the weekend including ones in Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and Midwood. However, there were no arrests. This was attributed to the local government uniting with residents, to inform the people of their community on ways to prepare and protect one another.
“On Sunday morning after this long Saturday of raids that happened in the city, the community was quiet. We were walking the streets in sunset park, people weren’t out, in the parks in the streets. You felt that. And if you live here you know what I’m talking about. And for me that’s something I’m never going to forget. Because that’s what happens when a community is traumatized,” said Menchaca at the meeting.
A local resident, who withheld his name, stated, “Businesses were slow. There was no takeout. The guys who deliver on the bikes were nowhere.”
Officials said ICE infiltrated the area, causing locals to stay home and shut their blinds. The Sunset Park community did not panic rather, they acted. “We responded. No arrests have happened in this community. And no arrests will happen in Sunset Park, today or ever—” said Menchaca, as the crowd interrupted him with applause.
Velázquez uplifted the room with her praise, “I was so proud of this community. To see that you met so early, to see how neighbors went and walked with immigrants. The message has to be don’t panic. Don’t panic, we need to stay calm. We are going to lead this because we are better than this. We all know that Sunset Park, is a part of it. It is going to empower everyone— everyone— with the information that they need. What is it that you should do, what are the resources that are available, who can you call… But the most important message today is: this is Sunset Park, this is New York City. New York City is a city of immigrants, and in New York, we take care of our neighbors.”
She motioned for an NYPD official to stand. “The Police department is here, to let the immigrant community know that they will not assist ICE,” Velázquez said. “The message to this president is our community won’t back down to his racism and hate.”
The meeting came after the Trump administration announced a “major operation”— a series of illegal immigration raids— scheduled to begin this past Sunday, July 14 across the nation.
In June, the president tweeted “Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States. They will be removed as fast as they come in. Mexico, using their strong immigration laws, is doing a very good job of stopping people…….” These raids were postponed after harsh opposition from lawmakers.
This week, following the Trump Administration’s announcement to begin the operations again, ICE raids have been reported throughout New York City.
“There is a lot of fear. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers right now who are feeling tremendous fear and one of the things the [Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)] Commissioner has often talked to me about is you can have a family where one member is an American citizen, the other member is a permeant resident, the other member is undocumented,” said Mayor de Blasio at a press conference earlier this week. “So this is just 500,000 undocumented folks, its all of their family members, there’s a huge number of people in fear. And we have an administration in Washington that makes these bold announcements and then backs off of them and you never know what reality is.”
ICE officials stated in a tweet: “The arrest & removal of high-profile criminal aliens send a powerful message to the rest of the world: [The] U.S. will not allow it’s free and open society to be used as a hiding place for another nation’s most violent criminals & human rights violators to use as an escape from justice.”
The meeting also served to inform the community on knowing your rights when confronted with ICE. The lobby was stocked with flyers for people to take, outlying the know your rights information in different languages. Translation devices were offered for attendees as well.
Myrie said it is very critical that people know what their rights are.
“We are going to work together, we are going to be relentless, and we will not yield to any act from this administration. We are going to stand up for our immigrant friends and neighbors because they deserve it and they are the life and blood of our communities. This administration wants us to hit the panic button. But our community—we are hitting the streets instead,” said Myrie.
MOIA officials at the meeting said, “The more that is reported the more we alert our community and the more powerful and united we are.”
The lawmakers and city officials also gave out the following information:
Immigrants and local residents are encouraged to report any ICE activity by calling 212-725-6422. Residents are legally allowed to record everything that is happening.
If you live in NYC and ICE comes to your home, work, or approaches you on the street, call: 1-800-566-7376 Liberty Defense Team.
If you know somebody that needs to speak with an attorney, because they fear they could be at risk, or if they want to further prepare, call the New Americans Hotline at 1-800-566-7376. You can call 311 at any hour of the night for free legal immigration help as well.
