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Chanting “No papers, no fear,” about 40 people gathered on Hinds Plaza outside the Princeton Public Library July 16 to protest a recent raid carried out by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Three people were arrested by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division in the July 10 raid, according to Resistencia en Accion New Jersey. The grass-roots group has offices on Witherspoon Street in Princeton.
But Princeton officials, including Mayor Mark Freda and Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin, said that the municipal government – including the Princeton Police Department – had no involvement in the raid and did not learn of it until later.
Speaking through an interpreter at the rally, Angela Ramos said the news spread that ICE agents were roaming the streets and making arrests. Several ICE vehicles were parked on Witherspoon Street, near the Princeton Public Library.
Community members approached the ICE vehicles, but the agents did not roll down the vehicle windows or respond to questions about who they were and why they were in Princeton, Ramos said.
Fatima Mughal of Princeton Mutual Aid said the group has worked with the immigrant community, which she called the backbone of the larger community, for several years.
The July 10 raid was the worst one in years, Mughal said. Members of the Latino community were afraid to go to work, to go to the store and to pick up their children at camp in reaction to the ICE raid.
“The people of Princeton want to make it clear that ICE is not welcome in this town,” she said. “We will not tolerate fearmongering.”
Charlene Walker, who is the executive director of Faith in New Jersey, said Princeton made the decision to become a welcoming community, where immigrant neighbors can hold their heads high, she said. They know they are welcome in the town.
The ICE raid was intended to shatter what it meant to be part of the community and what it meant to be part of Princeton, Walker said. It was meant to instill fear and terror in the immigrant community, “but you (ICE) will not scare us,” she said.
Walker told the elected officials that they are being called on to adopt policies and systems to protect the people they are charged with caring for – and “if not, guess what. You don’t need to be here.”
The mayor also spoke to the attendees. His remarks were translated into Spanish by Princeton Councilwoman Leticia Fraga, who is fluent in Spanish.
Freda sought to dispel impressions that the Princeton Police Department was involved in the raid. It did not participate in the raid and had no role in the raid, he said.
“I want to make sure the message from us is clear,” he said. “We are a welcoming town and we welcome everyone to our community.”
The Princeton Police Department does not, has not and will not assist ICE, Freda said. It has not had any involvement with ICE since 2013 – years before the State Attorney General set out guidelines for municipal police involvement with ICE.
Freda said the immigrant community can trust the Princeton Police Department. The town’s Human Services Department and the Health Department provide services to everyone and will not report anyone to ICE.
Freda also told the attendees that he, police Capt. Christopher Tash and Administrator Bernard Hvozdovic Jr. spoke to ICE officials in the Newark office on July 12. They made it clear that municipal officials will monitor ICE’s actions in Princeton.
Newlin asked attendees when did they have a problem with disrespect from the Princeton Police Department, only a couple of people raised their hands.
“The point is, do not make us the enemy,” he said. “We want no harm to come to you. We want to protect you.
“We are not part of the federal government. ICE is its own entity.
“The message here is not to work against us. We need you to work with us so we can solve the problems together. We are going to search hard and find the answers to the questions you are asking,” Newlin said.