Long Island immigration arrests prompt ‘ICE Out of Hempstead’ march
Protesters say they are not backing down from voicing their concerns about the federal government's immigration enforcement.
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Dozens of people marched through the streets of Hempstead on Sunday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on Long Island.
Protesters say they are not backing down from voicing their concerns about the federal government's immigration enforcement.
"The community is here to say that they don't want to see the ICE raids that have been going on. They don't want to see ICE collaborating with Nassau County," said Nadia Marin-Molina, a rally organizer.
Organizers say they are in favor of law enforcement arresting violent criminals, not hardworking members of the community.
"ICE has been violating civil and human rights and has been terrorizing entire communities," said Michele Ascione, of Valley Stream.
Protesters started the rally in downtown Hempstead and marched nearly a mile to The Home Depot on Fulton Avenue, where they say that ICE agents have made multiple arrests in the parking lot.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman sent News 12 a statement saying:
"Less than 50 people showed up to protest ICE, while thousands have praised Nassau County for working with ICE to rid our county of dangerous criminals."
In response to the protest, Home Depot sent News 12 a statement saying:
"We aren't notified that ICE activities are going to happen, we aren't involved in the operations, and in many cases, we don't know that arrests have taken place until after they're over. We're required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate."
President Trump campaigned on a promise to deport millions of immigrants working in the United States illegally — an issue that has long fired up his GOP base. The crackdown intensified a few weeks ago when Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, gave the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a quota of 3,000 arrests a day, up from 650 a day in the first five months of Trump’s second term.
AP Wire Services were used in this report.
