A rally to support immigrants, demand due process, and urge a strong stance by government representatives and other civil servants against federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions will happen tomorrow from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Hook Mill in East Hampton Village.
Anita Boyer of Hampton Bays, who is organizing the rally, wrote on social media of the Nov. 5 raid by armed and masked ICE agents in Southampton Town. In that action, agents descended on several locations in Hampton Bays and Westhampton and detained a dozen individuals.
“The actions of these agents who do not identify themselves in any way, grab people off the streets without due process, acting with total impunity and without regard for our laws and Constitution, do not make our communities safer,” an announcement for tomorrow’s rally states. The announcement, which states that the rally is “a party not a protest,” asks residents to “stand up for our neighbors and friends,” demand due process, “urge reps and civil servants to take a strong stance, meet super-cool people and build community,” and dance. “Join us to party and protest and blow the whistles on the awful tactics and horrifying cruelty being used against our immigrant community,” the announcement concludes.
In the week following the ICE raid, a crowd filled the meeting room at Southampton Town Hall to convey their demand that the town board take a stand against ICE operations in the municipality.
Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni of the First District issued a statement following the Nov. 5 ICE raids. “These agents descended on our communities and immediately began detaining civilians, causing fear and panic,” he said. “Thousands across the country are being snatched off the streets without due process. Not only is this an affront to the United States Constitution and the New York State Constitution, but the lack of transparency harms the relationship of trust between public officials, law enforcement, and the public, putting civilians and law enforcement in danger.”
He added that he was “deeply disappointed at this violation of due process and human dignity.”
