By Kyanna Wiggins
An ad hoc group of activists on Tuesday confronted the Village of Hempstead Board of Trustees during a packed public meeting at Hempstead Village Hall over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Hempstead, calling on the board to end village cooperation with the federal agency.
ICE has, in recent weeks, come under increasing scrutiny following the deaths of Nicole Good, a mother of three, and Alex Peretti. Both 37 and U.S. citizens, they were shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
A line of activists, nearly all Hempstead residents, urged Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. and the four trustees to act immediately, saying ICE’s surge in the village has, for months, frightened residents who worry they will be detained and potentially deported. Many said they were scared, despite their own legal status. A number of speakers noted they were particularly concerned for local children, many of whom fear attending school away from their parents.
“I’m truly scared. My family is scared. We no longer come to church. We attend church on Zoom,” said Monica Diaz, a Hempstead business owner and former resident of more than 20 years. “We attended a church on Franklin Street. I can no longer do that because that’s when ICE is out.”
“Fear and racial profiling are changing how people go to work, take their children to and from school, and move through their own village,” said Ashley Guardado, a mother and climate justice organizer. “These harms are not abstract, and they are happening today.”
“Fear and racial profiling are changing how people go to work, take their children to and from school, and move through their own village.”
Ashley Guardado, Activist
Guardado called on board members to clarify their stance on ICE cooperation and follow the lead of cities such as Buffalo, N.Y. and Jersey City, N.J. that have strengthened immigration protections for local residents. “They have recognized that collaborations with ICE undermine community trust,” Guardado said.
Hobbs acknowledged constituents’ concerns, saying he had already agreed before the meeting that the village would end its cooperation with ICE. “I have instructed our police department chief that we will not have any of our officers working with ICE,” Hobbs said, adding that he was working with Gov. Kathy Hochul on legislation to prevent local police officers from working with ICE.
The mayor noted that, while the village may not cooperate with ICE going forward, it cannot stop ICE activity in the village, as the agency has federal jurisdiction to enforce immigration law throughout the nation. He encouraged residents to reach out to federal officials like Rep. Laura Gillen, a Democrat of Rockville Centre, whom he said has a greater influence at the federal level. “It’s my job to protect you locally,” Hobbs said, “but make sure you also petition those who represent you on a federal level.”
Village Police Chief Richard Holland said the Hempstead P.D. must assist ICE if presented with a judicial warrant, a legally binding document ordered by a judge. “We’re obligated as a law enforcement agency to cooperate and assist any law enforcement agency — federal, state or local — if they have a valid order signed by a judge,” Holland said. “Our officers are instructed to make sure that agents have a valid warrant from a judge before they step in.”
It was unclear whether the practice would continue following Hobbs’ order. That is why Nadia Marin-Molina, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said she would like to see a clear policy laid out in writing. Local officials are not required to cooperate with ICE if presented with an agency-issued detainer or warrant, according to the office of the New York State attorney general.
Speakers said they believed people were being detained in the village without judicial warrants. “People are walking on the street with a bookbag or because they have dirty boots, they’re getting picked up. That’s not a warrant,” Diaz said.
“I’ve been out patrolling the streets myself,” said Kiana Bierria-Anderson, a Democratic candidate for New York’s 4th Congressional District, who plans to oppose Gillen in a primary in June. Speaking to Holland, Bierria-Anderson said, “I’ll have to be honest with you, I have seen police officers working with ICE. So there is a miscommunication in some way, shape or form.”
On Jan. 22, Gillen crossed party lines to support a Department of Homeland Security funding package. ICE falls under DHS’s purview. The spending bill includes monies for cybersecurity and immigration enforcement. Many at Tuesday’s meeting said they disapproved of Gillen’s decision. “I would like to understand clearer if she has spoken to you about the mistake she made in terms of providing more funding for ICE,” Bierria-Anderson asked the mayor, “… and if you had time to speak with her one-on-one about how her decision has impacted your district.”
“I spoke to her while I was in Albany, and I spoke to her today,” Hobbs said. “We have a follow-up meeting tomorrow about how that was a terrible decision. She said she realized it, and that’s why she corrected it.” Audience members laughed.
As the activists continued to press trustees about the lack of communication between officials and constituents, the exchange grew emotional. “Everything makes me feel like I am suffocating under the reality that my elected officials need to be convinced that we are humans,” said Eileen Santiago, Guardado’s wife and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Santiago said local officials must take a collaborative approach to provide legal resources and “know your rights” trainings for residents. “Let’s collaborate. Let’s distribute ‘know your rights’ cards,” she said. “Let’s support the community.”
Hobbs said he agreed with the approach. He noted he had been contacted by several Hempstead Village workers about volunteering to educate the community about their rights. “I have responded to them, and we will have a meeting in place,” he said.
Located in central Nassau County, Hempstead is 45.3% Hispanic or Latino and 45% Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Hobbs said many on social media have sought to divide the village racially over immigration.
“If we’re going to talk about tensions between Black and Brown communities, what are we going to do to fix those tensions?” Bierria-Anderson said. “Because ICE is not just a Hispanic issue, it’s a Black issue as well.”
Scott Brinton contributed to this story.
