Sadness, fear and frustration fueled a rally outside New Bedford City Hall Tuesday night as residents and advocates spoke out against recent ICE operations in the area.
After a wave of arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the past two days, community members called on city leaders to take a more aggressive stance in protecting immigrant families.
“We call on elected leaders to be bold,” activist and resident Ricardo Rosa, who immigrated to New Bedford when he was six, said. “Protect due process keep families together and ensure that every person regardless of immigration status is treated with humanity and respect.”
Alicia Lopez Gonzalez is the Director of Mujeres Victoriosas, a New Bedford-based organization committed to supporting women and combatting issues of racism, discrimination, trauma and violence.
“ICE has been terrorizing — kidnapping — our community members from their streets from our streets,” Alicia Lopez Gonzalez said. “We want to be able to go to sleep knowing that we’ll be able to hug our family tomorrow.”
For Lopez Gonzalez, this fight is personal. She first arrived in the United States from Guatemala at just eight years old. At the time she was undocumented, but even now she said she still lives in fear.
“One of my brothers decided to self deport himself when this administration came in because he didn’t want to deal with this,” Lopez Gonzalez said. “I’ve been losing family members that are afraid. I came here having everyone and now I’m left alone.”
Juana Tiniguar told 12 News her husband was detained by ICE in a parking lot, leaving his truck behind.
“I want to know where they took him,” Tiniguar said. “What are they going to do with him? That’s what I want to know now.”
In a statement to 12 News regarding the federal immigration activity in New Bedford, a spokesperson said their agents “routinely conduct operations across New England, which includes the state of Massachusetts” but wouldn’t elaborate further.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jon Mitchell is calling for the country’s immigration law to be overhauled. He said there was no indication that anyone detained had criminal records beyond minor motor vehicle violations.
New Bedford Police Chief Jason Thody said the department is aware of ICE conducting operations in the city but were not briefed on specifics.
New Bedford wasn’t the only South Coast community to experience federal immigration enforcement activity this week.
Dartmouth Police Lt. Keith DaCosta confirmed to 12 News that they received a call around 8:30 a.m. regarding masked men, later identified as ICE agents, exiting a vehicle with blue lights flashing on Faunce Corner Road near the I-195 overpass.
According to DaCosta, the police department was unaware of ICE activity and town and were not involved in the operations.
12 News also reached out to ICE for comment regarding the operations in Dartmouth.
However, a spokesperson responded saying the agency “routinely conducts operations across New England, which includes the state of Rhode Island.”
See more at wpri.com.
