East Hampton, the small resort town on eastern Long Island, has taken a stance on immigration. Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said on Thursday that the town will not cooperate with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE.
This comes as numerous reports of large-scale ICE raids are stoking fear in immigrant communities across the country.
Cantwell says the town will only share information with ICE about immigrants living in the country illegally with criminal backgrounds.
But Latino rights advocates point out that it's more complicated than that.
East Hampton is located within Suffolk County, which has pledged to work closely with ICE.
That presents a conflict because some people charged with crimes in East Hampton could end up at Suffolk’s jail in Riverhead. Minerva Perez, executive director of Organización Latino-Americana, said, “What might be the reason why they go? Because of violent crimes? There’s nothing to say about that. But are there other levels where, let’s say a person can’t make bail locally. So they’re going to be transferred to Riverhead. As soon as they’re in the hands of the sheriff, there would be better connection to Immigration.”
Perez says that her agency, also known as OLA, will be holding a Know Your Rights panel to inform immigrants in the area about their civil liberties, and how they will be affected by policy shifts.
“A lot of this isn’t the assumption that the local PD is doing anything wrong. It’s just simply not clear, and that lack of clarity is adding to a lot of fear.”
ICE did not respond to a request for comment.
The Know Your Rights panel will be taking place on Tuesday in Bridgehampton.