CARMEL – An organization calling itself Hudson Valley Patriots for Immigration Reform has contacted virtually every political leader in Putnam County expressing “deep concern and profound disappointment” in their lack of action to protect the residents of the county’s six towns and three villages from recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, including targeted raids and detentions.
Over the past several weeks, there have been numerous documented incidents of ICE agents conducting what a group spokesperson described as “aggressive enforcement actions in neighborhoods, workplaces, and even near schools and churches. These operations have sown fear, disrupted families, and created an environment where all immigrant residents – many of whom are long-time community members – are now afraid to go about their daily lives and go to work. Many people are petrified of being kidnapped right off the streets in broad daylight.”
The group charged that Putnam political leaders’ “silence and inaction in the face of these events speak volumes. You have both the platform and the responsibility to safeguard all residents of our county, regardless of immigration status.”
Hudson Valley Patriots for Immigration Reform has called on the county’s elected leaders to “publicly condemn ICE raids and intimidation tactics; direct county, town, village agencies, and law enforcement not to cooperate with or facilitate ICE activities that target residents without due process in addition to supporting local rapid response networks and legal aid for those detained.”
The organization also requested that policies be established to protect sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship from immigration enforcement actions while acknowledging that “immigrants are our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family. They contribute to our economy, our culture, and our shared future. Allowing ICE to operate unchecked in our community is a betrayal of these values and the trust residents place in their elected representatives.”
The spokesperson added, “Our community needs leadership that prioritizes the safety and dignity of all people. We urge you to take immediate action, stand with our immigrant community, and make it clear that Putnam County will not be an area where families live in constant fear of being torn apart.”
The sole elected official to respond to the correspondence was State Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg who represents constituents in the greater Philipstown area.
Calling the current system “a recipe for disaster,” she said she believes that “well-managed immigration strengthens our communities and our economy. I call on my colleagues at the federal level to pursue responsible comprehensive immigration reform instead of the reckless and criminal actions they have been taking thus far. The tactics Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has employed under this president threaten to turn the United States into an un-free police state. These tactics have been turbocharged by the influx of funding ICE received from the Big Ugly legislation Republicans passed back in July, and they are creating needless levels of fear and confusion in our communities.”
The Democratic lawmaker said, “their habit of having masked plainclothes officers take people away is already being imitated by predators, leading to a situation where people will not be able to tell the difference between law enforcement and criminals. This is a recipe for disaster that puts residents and law enforcement officials in unnecessary danger.”