Photo courtesy of ABC News.
In Hudson County, many undocumented communities are now on the verge of concern, in light of the recent slate of immigration-related executive orders brought by President Donald Trump’s administration.
On the ground, Slice of Culture received tips of potential ICE campsites set up in Union City and West New York. One individual who spoke to Slice of Culture said she had heard of “potential sightings “of ICE,” but had not seen a facility in the neighborhood.
In speaking to several individuals in the vicinity, many had looming concerns, about the recent arrests of three undocumented workers at a seafood depot in Newark.
A local officer for the West New York Police confirmed that there are “no activity of ICE” in the area.
“I am scared, I have lots of friends who are undocumented here, and not really sure how this will play out,” said another resident who wished not to be named due to fear of the recent ICE raid.
Slice of Culture reached out to Albio Sires, the mayor of West New York, for comment on the recent raid, but one has not been provided at the time of this writing.
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement on Thursday that ICE “raided” a business in the city and detained “undocumented residents, as well as citizens, without producing a warrant.” One of the individuals who were detained is a veteran who suffered the “indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation question,” added the mayor.
Trump’s executive orders brought on this week approved the expansion of “expedited removal,” permitting the U.S. to deport individuals without a court hearing, the tracking of all noncitizens by their fingerprints and the limitation of work permits issued to people with legal status.
“They do not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the Constitution. They do not have the power to unilaterally disregard our laws. That’s true for Donald Trump. That’s true for every president that came before him and every president who will come after him,” said Matt Plankin, the New Jersey Attorney General in a press conference in Newark this week on Tuesday.
In Hudson County alone, it is estimated that around 75,000 undocumented immigrants make up this community, according to figures offered by the Migration Policy Institute, a nonprofit organization based in D.C. Immigration “raid survival” guides are being distributed to schools and teachers in West New York, Newark and Plainfield, at the wake of the recent detentions ushered by ICE agents.
The American Civil Liberties Union and several immigrant rights groups filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, in response to the immigration-related executive orders.
Slice of Culture spoke to several residents in Hudson County, who wished not to be named in this report due to fear of retaliatory efforts launched by the federal government, who are feeling unease and uncertainty at their workplace and in their communities.
“We are going to prepare a plan with various members at the district level on what happens if ICE agents were to come to us,” Norma Fernandez, the Superintendent of Jersey City Public Schools, told Slice of Culture at a recent Board of Education meeting held at Martin Luther King Jr. School.
On the NJ Department of Education site, available resources for school-related and federal requirements for immigrant studies and families. The information can be found on the NJDEP site.
In a statement posted from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, he said, “Today, I reaffirm Hoboken’s unwavering commitment to being a fair, welcoming, and inclusive city for all who call it home. Everyone, regardless of immigration status, is protected under the U.S. Constitution. I understand that these are uncertain and frightening times, particularly for our immigrant community.”
A dashboard with enforcement updates brought by ICE indicates 538 arrests have been made with 373 “detainers lodged.”
Slice of Culture requested a comment from ICE but none has been provided at the time of this writing.
Many nonprofits in Hudson County are now taking steps to prepare undocumented migrants for the potential crackdown on ICE federal agents in communities. Information such as “Know Your Rights: Protect Yourself and Your Family from ICE Detention,” have been posted–with a list of precautionary measures that can be taken related to undocumented families.
On the municipal level, “families are very scared and some are considering pulling their children out of school, there are expectant mothers that are uncertain about their future and the future of their children,” said Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh.
He added that a resolution referred to as the Immigration Trust Act, would be introduced as a resolution to the city in the next upcoming city council meeting on the Jan. 29. The act would allow immigrants to preserve governmental and social services without fear of suspension of these services.
“We are doing a massive outreach effort to educate the community about their rights,” said a spokesperson for Make the Road New Jersey, a nonprofit organization focused on providing social services for immigrants.
“It is crucial that every New Jerseyan–from students to employers—is safe in their community,” read a post by the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Injustice. The organization added that would it take measures “in preparation for more raids like these.”
To learn what rights you have from ICE Detention, you can visit here.
