In East Elmhurst, Queens, volunteers and elected officials kicked off a neighborhood‑wide outreach effort called “Know Your Rights Week.” The campaign, organized by local leaders and immigration‑rights groups, aims to inform residents about how to respond if approached by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Door‑to‑door canvassing
Volunteer Odilia Gonzalez walked the streets of East Elmhurst, speaking with neighbors about what to do during an ICE encounter. Gonzalez’s motivation is personal: her brother, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, spent months in a detention center after being stopped on his way to work. “At the time I felt sad, frustrated, I never thought that could happen,” she said.
Local officials voice concerns
Assemblymember Lorinda C. Hooks, who represents District 35—including East Elmhurst, Corona, LeFrak City and Rego Park—said her office has fielded a surge of calls from people worried about detentions. “People who are here, who work for a living, who pay taxes, never touched by the justice system, raising children, school runs, libraries, grocery store runs, working people treated like criminals,” Hooks said.
Organizers stressed that residents should know their constitutional rights and have a plan in place. Guidance includes remaining silent, requesting a lawyer, and establishing a communication plan with family members.
Broader immigration policy goals
The campaign also calls for limits on ICE activity in Queens and urges the restoration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, a designation that ended under the previous administration on Aug. 5. Assemblymember Clyde Vanel, whose parents were born in Haiti, voiced support for reinstating TPS, noting the irony of America’s 250th birthday being celebrated while many families remain in legal limbo.
“It’s ironic that this is America’s 250th birthday, a country of immigrants, everybody. Unless you’re a Native American, everybody here is an immigrant. Everyone,” Vanel said.
Federal response
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the reported increase in ICE activity in Queens. The agency maintains that its arrests are intended to protect public safety.
How residents can prepare
Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, emphasized the importance of knowledge. “When you know what your rights are, you are upholding your rights and ensuring that your rights will not be violated,” he said.
Community members are encouraged to attend upcoming informational sessions, download resources provided by the coalition, and share the guidance with family and friends. The effort reflects a broader trend of local leaders stepping in to protect constitutional liberties and support families who contribute to the neighborhood’s daily life.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
