Hundreds of people rallied against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s expansion plans in the Hudson Valley on Monday afternoon outside of ICE’s recently identified New Windsor office.
Located at 843 Union Avenue, the New Windsor office in Orange County is a half hour drive from the planned Chester facility that has sparked outrage from scores of residents and local officials. An ICE spokesperson said in a statement to Radio Catskill on Friday that the federal agency has purchased the Chester warehouse, though no deed has been filed with the Orange County Clerk’s Office as of Friday afternoon at 5 p.m.
The Monday protest – organized by the Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America – drew crowds of people lined along the highly trafficked Union Avenue with many cars honking in solidarity. Attendees held signs that read ‘Abolish ICE’ and ‘ICE Out for Good’ and sang songs focused on unity and democracy.
Meanwhile, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said in a video statement on Friday that he’s awaiting the deed filing to “start filing legal actions” to block the ICE detention facility in Chester.
READ: ICE Purchases Chester Warehouse in Orange County
“ I represent 400,000-plus Orange County residents, have gotten zero communication from [ICE] on this, and they want to be a partner?” said Neuhaus. In his statement, Neuhaus also requested from New York Governor Kathy Hochul support from New York State Police and the National Guard to assist with expected protests and growing public opposition.
Town of New Windsor Supervisor Stephen Bedetti told Radio Catskill that ICE has been operating out of the New Windsor building for more than four months through a General Services Administration (GSA) contract.
“I was not aware of it, didn’t know it was there, had no clue,” said Bedetti.
Lillian O’Brien, a long-time Orange County resident, said it’s not so much the presence of ICE that concerns her but what they’ve become.
“That’s really the scary part. [ICE is] no longer an enforcement agency from my perspective. They’re becoming a goon squad. They really are, and it’s reminiscent of things that we’ve seen in the past so we should learn from our history,” said O’Brien.
Fear of deportation is transforming daily life for many residents, said Vanessa Cid, worker organizer for progressive nonprofit For the Many.
“We want them out,” said Cid about ICE’s presence in New York. “[Residents] are afraid. Many of them are afraid to organize their workplace because of the fear of getting ICE called on them. When ICE is in our communities and neighborhoods, families don’t send their kids to school.”
Local officials, including City of Newburgh Councilmember Giselle Martinez and Orange County Legislator Stephen Hunter, spoke at the protest in opposition of ICE’s expanded footprint in the region.
“From the ICE detention center being proposed in Chester to their secret office in New Windsor, the message is loud and clear; our community does not want ICE here in the Hudson Valley or anywhere. We have bi-partisan support from elected officials across all levels of government to oppose ICE’s operations in our backyards and an overwhelming majority of the public to back us,” said Martinez in a statement.
Images: Protestors outside ICE’s office in New Windsor, N.Y. (Photo Credit: Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America)