On March 28, community members took to the streets of Wayne and Philadelphia with hand-painted signs and chants as part of the nationwide “No Kings” rally. According to State Rep. Lisa Borowski, a speaker at the Wayne rally, more than 600 residents from Chester and Delaware County participated in the march. Borowski said that the rally served as an outlet to express discontent over current political policies, including the community presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, in a productive and peaceful way. These rallies, along with other community efforts, have allowed the public to express concerns in response to local ICE presence.
“People are frustrated because there’s really not a lot you can do. This (the rally) was a way to demonstrate in a very public way and register the concern and the displeasure over what’s happening. So I think for many people, (the rally) is just such a great opportunity,” Borowski said. “I’ve definitely heard from residents who are concerned and want to know what they can do to be helpful. We’ve had a lot of residents go through training where people can (become) monitors and alerting when situations are happening around ICE.”
According to the ICE website, the Department of Homeland Security established ICE in 2003 as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. State Rep. Melissa Shusterman feels that the presence of ICE across the nation and in Tredyffrin/Easttown has grown in recent years.
“Over the last several months, across the U.S., especially in Minnesota, and across our own state, we have seen an increase in illegal and inhumane actions by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers, including ICE officers,” Shusterman wrote in an email. “I will continue to insist on law and order in our communities, while standing with our local and state police.”
A Feb. 5 joint statement by Chester County District Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe and president of the Chester County Police Chiefs Association Michael P. Carroll disclosed that Chester County law enforcement does not enforce civil immigration orders. The statement explained that none of the police departments in Chester County have signed a Section 287(g) Agreement, or a formal partnership between ICE and local law enforcement agencies to carry out immigration actions. Additionally, the statement asserts that Chester County law enforcement will investigate force events in relation to ICE, such as a police shooting.
“We will take as long as we need to gather a complete understanding of what happened, and it does not matter whether the incident under investigation involves local, state or federal law enforcement,” the statement said. “There will be a complete and independent review by an experienced team of detectives and prosecutors. That has been the practice in Chester County for decades, and it will continue to be the practice in the future.”
For information on what to do in an ICE-related situation, Borowski said that residents can call their state representatives’ offices. In addition, other local organizations have also become involved in sharing this information.
“A lot of churches are involved, a lot of synagogues, people that are trying to provide as much information as possible and give people the best opportunity to protect their neighbors and themselves to deal with these situations if they arise,” Borowski said. “The main thing is for people to know not to physically insert themselves into the process, but to be a witness for those who are being detained by ICE so that you can be supportive if needed.”
In addition, Borowski and other state representatives are working on introducing legislation to address the increase in ICE activity, including placing restraints on locations where ICE activity can occur.
“As a state legislature, we have introduced a lot of legislation to try to put guardrails around what ICE is doing. Legislation that wouldn’t permit them to go to courthouses and wait for people in courthouses, because they are doing that,” Borowski said. “I think some of this (need for legislation) is because there is such a gray space between what they are allowed to do and what they’re doing.”
Amid the uncertainty and opinions various residents have expressed regarding ICE activity in the area, Shusterman feels that it is important for community members to remain united.
“I believe the best thing our community members can do right now is to stay engaged with our friends, neighbors, and community service non-profits within our local communities — creating new connections and strengthening existing ones,” Shusterman wrote in an email. “Additionally, I recommend advocating to your elected officials — federal, state, county and township — to express your opinions and concerns on topics that are important to you.”
Ashley Du can be reached at [email protected].
Tvisha Jani can be reached at [email protected].
