Protest on Sunday against ICE use of Islip shooting range
An Islip spokesperson said it has been used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, for training since “at least the early 2000s.” Credit: Newsday/Drew Singh
Activists are set to protest Sunday against an Islip Town policy that allows members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use the town’s shooting range, part of a long-standing town contract that local Democrats began urging Islip to terminate earlier this week.
The town-owned shooting range is on Freeman Avenue. An Islip spokesperson said it has been used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, for training since “at least the early 2000s.”
At least two dozen other agencies, from the DMV to the Nassau Sheriff's Office, also use the facility.
ICE’s use of the range came under fire earlier this week amid reports that agents have detained immigrants who don’t have criminal histories. The agency has also arrested more than 1,600 criminal immigrants since Jan. 20, Newsday reported.
Democratic officials such as Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood) argued ICE sweeps are “terrorizing our community” and called on Islip to “reevaluate” the contract, Newsday reported.
At least six organizations are staging a protest at Islip Town Hall on Sunday to “build public pressure” on officials to nix the contract, according to Ahmad Perez of Islip Forward, the group spearheading the demonstration.
“We’re calling for the Town of Islip, at the minimum, to commit to not extending the contract,” said Perez, whose organization advocates for immigrants’ rights. He also wants Islip to "consider any possible options to end the contract" before it expires next June.
Democratic Islip Councilman Jorge Guadrón told Newsday he would attempt to terminate the contract, a move that Republican Councilman Michael McElwee said he doesn’t support. The other four board members, all Republican or Conservative, did not comment.
ICE also did not respond to a request for comment.
McElwee argued the shooting range contract is not a political issue. He contends it’s simply about Long Island-based law enforcement having access to what Islip calls “one of the very few” area facilities where firearms training is possible.
“This is a safety issue that’s been going on for many, many years — it’s nothing new,” he said. “They are not using the site as a command post. They are coming in [to] qualify for their pistols, doing the shooting and leaving. It has nothing to do with immigration enforcement.”
Suffolk Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) argued that terminating the contract wouldn’t impact the underlying immigration policy but would instead deprive officers operating on Long Island of necessary training.
"We should be more concerned and supportive that all our law enforcement officers continue to get proper training and practice in firearms for the safety of all," Flotteron said.
Perez, of Islip Forward, told Newsday he views the town's cooperation with ICE as a detriment to community safety and cohesion. He cited the agency’s targeting of immigrants without criminal histories.
“If you are here, committing harm, killing people, instilling that level of fear — get out of our streets … but that’s not what we’re seeing,” he said. “The folks that are being targeted have little to no criminal record. How is that improving public safety when you’re actually instilling fear?”
Perez and other activists plan to protest in front of Islip Town Hall beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Guadrón said he plans to propose terminating the contract at Tuesday's town board meeting.
Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
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