ICE immigration raids, and how to protest them the subject of Glen Cove church meeting

Ninety-seven years after the birth of Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Roger Williams looked out on the crowd assembled at First Baptist Church in Glen Cove on Thursday night and sought to invoke the civil rights icon.

The nearly 200 people gathered were in attendance to learn from experts and activists about how to stand up to federal law enforcement on immigration raids.

Williams saw a deeper meaning.

"I don’t think it is just coincidence that we are here tonight," he said of the juxtaposition of Thursday evening's meeting and Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday. "I do believe that his legacy warrants that we be here for this matter."

The event was held as a community response to the actions of ICE agents and other federal law enforcement who have been carrying out raids on immigrants on Long Island and across the country as part of President Donald Trump's ramped-up effort to deport people in the country illegally. 

State Assemb. Charles  Lavine (D-Glen Cove) organized the event. Williams provided spiritual comfort on an evening where members of local Rapid Response Networks dispensed tips and information to those looking to get more involved. 

Rapid Response Networks  comprise members who send out alerts to the community via a Signal chat when they learn that ICE is in town, drive to the scene to record ICE agents on their phones, and provide assistance to family members of those taken federal law enforcement.

Evan Freed, a member of Port Washington’s response network, urged anyone who wants to meet ICE where they are on Long Island should do so legally and safely. Freed told the crowd that they should utilize a feature on Signal, an encrypted text messaging app to make their messages disappear within 24 hours, in case they come into contact with ICE.

He also said the group had a spreadsheet of license plates from vehicles they believe to be driven by ICE agents.

"There is risk, we all know that," Freed said. "My children are scared that I go out. They don’t want me to die and get shot, and I don’t want to either, but I know that I am doing this because I believe that our country deserves better."

Michael Israel, 69, of Glen Cove, said he left the event with tangible tips on how to get involved in opposing ICE.

"I feel for all the families, and kids and parents, who live here and elsewhere who are being prosecuted for no reason," Israel said. "Anything I can do to help, I would help."

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.