Queens activists decry surge in ICE activity, call for agency dismantling
Immigrant-rights groups in Queens held a rally protesting a recent increase in ICE presence, labeling it “unacceptable terror.”
A crowd of immigrant-rights supporters assembled at Corona Plaza in Queens to protest a perceived escalation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in areas including Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, College Point and Corona. Luba Cortes of Make the Road New York warned that ICE’s heightened visibility is targeting the borough, which she noted is among the world’s most diverse. Representative Grace Meng described the enforcement as “unacceptable terror,” calling for the agency’s dismantling and demanding accountability.
Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, attributed the surge to the former administration’s strategy of intimidation. The White House’s border czar Tom Homan had previously announced that ICE would focus on New York City after Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined to allow ICE custody at Rikers Island. No comment has been issued by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Why it matters
The protest highlights growing community backlash against federal immigration raids in a heavily immigrant borough.
In this story