Faith leaders, advocates hold vigil against proposed ICE facility

Faith leaders and immigration advocates held an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vigil outside of the former Pep Boys warehouse on Friday, despite the agency saying it would not move forward with the proposed facility “at this time.”

Community concerns grew after a Washington Post report unveiled ICE’s plan to convert over 20 warehouses into detention facilities, including the building located at 29 Elizabeth Drive. The proposed facility, linked to former Trump adviser Carl Icahn, would hold up to 1,500 people.

Following the report, the proposed facility generated bipartisan opposition from local leaders, including Rep. Pat Ryan and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. In addition, the Orange County Legislature unanimously (21-0) passed a resolution to oppose the proposed facility, as hundreds of Hudson Valley residents packed the government building in protest.

Dan Getman, an Accord, N.Y., resident and vigil organizer, said the community’s turnout against the proposed facility prompted him to mobilize with local faith leaders and nonprofit organization Rural & Migrant Ministry (RMM) for a vigil.

“I was so deeply revolted by the thought of a human warehouse in the Hudson Valley, that I felt I had to get involved in any way,” Getman said. “I have a deep belief that our effective movement in the world comes from spirit, aligning with love, and the creative potential of humans to do great things in the world.”

‘It’s very difficult to know what to believe’

The vigil comes amidst a series of conflicting messages from ICE regarding their plans with the abandoned warehouse. Last month, the agency said it had purchased the property, then retracted the statement five days later. A federal spokesperson said the claim was a “mistake” and “was sent without proper approval.”

As confusion and frustration among communities increased, local leaders demanded answers. According to a press release from Assemblyman Brian Maher’s chief of staff, the assemblyman spoke with ICE officials and was told that the agency “would not be moving forward with the Chester site at this time.”

But despite the reassurance, attendees remain skeptical, referring to ICE’s recent purchase of a warehouse in Roxbury, N.J. Similar to the Chester facility, the agency sent out conflicting information about its plans for the New Jersey warehouse prior to its acquisition.

“Unfortunately, because this administration so often puts out conflicting statements, it’s very difficult to know what to believe,” Lisa Baker, a Cold Spring resident and RMM staff member, said. “So, we believe that it is our obligation to continue to be vocal about our opposition to this plan, be it a warehouse in Chester or somewhere else.”

‘There’s no clear oversight’

Prior to the vigil, attendees congregated at the Senior Center on Laroe Road, before traveling in a caravan to the site of the proposed facility. Some decorated their vehicles with signs that conveyed messages of solidarity, including “Remember Your Humanity” and “Love Your Neighbor.”

As attendees gathered around a circle, the Rev. Sarah Henkel, a Presbyterian pastor at the Hudson River Presbytery, led prayer songs. She said she took part in the vigil to support her neighbors and to stand against ICE’s deportation operations. Like many attendees, she expressed concern that the warehouse is not suitable for ICE operations.

“There’s no clear oversight that [detainees] would be cared for in any humane conditions,” Henkel said. “There’s obviously a lot of environmental concerns around that site. There’s not adequate sewage, there’s not adequate water. But I think primarily the focus is on the people, the communities, the families that would be disrupted and taken away, and put in detention, where it’s not clear how long they would be held.”

‘People are living in great fear’

After singing prayer songs, attendees got into their vehicles and formed a caravan to the former Pep Boys warehouse. The procession was patrolled by the Town of Chester Police Department. From there, attendees gathered outside at the warehouse’s parking lot.

For Maria Martinez, legislative advocacy consultant at RMM, driving to the abandoned warehouse brought back painful memories. In 2013, both of her parents were detained by ICE agents and were held in facilities for up to two weeks.

Just steps away from the proposed facility, Martinez recounted the stories that her parents shared about their living conditions while under ICE custody. She grew emotional while telling her mother’s stories of how women in the facility were barred from wearing any clothing as they waited in line for routine checkups, where they were called by numbers instead of names.

The Rev. Richard Witt, executive director at RMM, said he has seen firsthand the effects of family separation due to immigration enforcement. He noted that the nonprofit’s youth groups include 20 children whose parents have been detained by ICE in the past six months. He said the situation surrounding the proposed facility has added a new level of anxiety for local immigrant communities in the Hudson Valley.

“I think people are living in great fear about their wellbeing, about the safety of their children, about the safety of their parents,” Witt said. “People are afraid to go out into the public and in turn, it’s impacting the community. We are living now in a community that is based on fear and mistrust, and that’s no way to live.”

‘We intend to keep going’

Outside of the facility, attendees held candles while reading the names of the people who died under ICE custody or during operations this year, followed by a moment of silence. Moments later, the attendees concluded the vigil by singing a final prayer song while holding hands.

As uncertainty surrounding the warehouse looms, faith leaders and immigration advocates said they will continue to push back against the proposed facility.

“We intend to keep going forward with these vigils on a weekly basis,” Gittel Evangelist, director of communications at RMM, said. “For as long as that warehouse is on the table as a possible detention center, we will definitely be focused on that.”