By Anne Levin
At its meeting Monday night, Princeton Council passed a resolution that supports the Immigrant Trust Act (ITA) and urges the State Legislature to pass it into law.
The resolution will “expand the protections in the Immigrant Trust Directive, so that no one need fear that a visit to the DMV, to enroll their children in school, to obtain lawfully entitled healthcare, etc., could lead to their private information being shared with ICE [Immigrant and Customs Enforcement], putting themselves or their families in jeopardy,” it reads.
On July 23 and 24, 16 Princeton residents were detained by ICE. In three previous Council meetings, representatives from the immigrant support group Resistencia en Accion NJ have urged the governing body to pass a resolution in favor of the ITA. While expressing gratitude for Council’s vote, organizers from Resistencia and other members of the public called the action a first step, urging them to take it further.
“We also need a safety plan to alert people when ICE is in town,” said Ana Paola Pazmino, executive director of the organization. “We urge Council to not stop taking action now. This is a time where we need to work collectively. We will continue to approach and say what we think we need as citizens and immigrants.”
Previous to the vote, Council members Leticia Fraga and Leighton Newlin spoke to the crowd.
“We do this with one reason and one reason only: We understand the dangerous social climate we are living in and we value all Princeton residents no matter their citizenship status,” said Newlin. “Princeton is our home. We will protect your dignity and your right to live without fear.”
But Newlin cautioned that the Council “will not govern by ultimatum.” To make his point, he referenced the actions of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.
“It did not succeed because it was loud. It succeeded because it was wise, disciplined, and united,” he said. “People placed their cause above the spotlight. We live in a time that demands the same kind of wisdom. It is not enough to be loud. We must be smart. It is not enough to be visible. We must be effective.”
Speakers, some of whom identified themselves as members of Resistencia’s rapid response team, told Council they would like to have “a seat at the table” when it comes to coming up with an action plan.
“Thank you for the resolution, but we need to continue to work together to come up with a plan,” one said. “If you are truly honest about wanting to protect the community, we must work together. Sit with us to think of a community action plan.”
Irfan Khawaja praised the wording of the resolution, but said it does not indicate who residents should call during an ICE raid.
“It is unclear whether there is anyone to call in real time when such a raid takes place,” he said. “There is a desperate need for such a service. By contrast, in the case of Resistencia, there is a phone line you can call, and they will come as soon as they can. There is a desperate need for such a service.”
Resident and activist John Heilner said, “I’m very sorry to strike a sour note, but I feel that I must. The ICE raid of July 24, when 15 men were detained, was 10 days after many speakers first came to the Council meeting of July 14, and started demanding a resolution. This demand was well publicized locally and in state media. Do you think ICE paid us a visit after seeing this in the press? I guess we’ll never know, but it certainly is a coincidence. So I would just ask that we look for better and quieter ways to communicate. I would like to stress that before July 14 and ever since, all the many local trusted immigrant advocates and organizations consciously decided not to publicly push for the ITA because we thought it best for Princeton not to become a target.”
Presiding over the meeting in Mayor Mark Freda’s absence, Council President Mia Sacks wrapped up the discussion after everyone had a chance to speak, both in person and on Zoom.
“This has been a really productive evening,” she said. “There is a lot of healing that has gone on tonight. Trust has been built. There is a framework of collaboration. Let’s end on a good note. Mutual respect is obviously the foundation of working together.”
She added, “There are some things government can do and some things it can’t. There is a role for everyone to play, and now is a time we have to work together. I hope today is the beginning of that.”
In a press release, Resistencia cited “a major victory for immigrant justice in Princeton as the Council voted tonight to pass a resolution in support of the Immigrant Trust Act. The decision comes after months of grassroots organizing, fueled by persistent engagement from community members, who called the Council, wrote letters, and shared their stories.”
Updated on August 18.