New York.- The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) warned about a supposed increase in ICE operations in different neighborhoods of the city, including areas of Upper Manhattan where a large Dominican community resides.
According to the organization, the presence of agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly become more frequent in Washington Heights and Inwood, considered among the main hubs of the Dominican diaspora in New York.
The NYIC, comprised of organizations working in defense of immigrants and refugees, maintains that the situation is also reportedly occurring in communities in Brooklyn and Queens.
ICE operations in communities
Among the areas mentioned by the coalition are Sunset Park, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Cypress Hills, in Brooklyn, as well as Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, College Point and Corona, in Queens.
The organization attributes the increase in ICE operations to the tightening of immigration actions promoted by the federal government and the expansion of these interventions in cities with a high foreign population.
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The complaints have generated concern among community leaders, immigrant advocacy organizations, and elected officials in New York, who have intensified orientation sessions aimed at potentially affected residents.
ICE operations and rights
Political and community representatives have insisted on the importance of people knowing their rights in the event of an intervention by immigration agents.
Among the figures who have expressed concern about ICE’s actions are state and municipal officials whose districts have a significant immigrant population.
Councilwoman Carmen De La Rosa, representative of Upper Manhattan sectors, is among the leaders who have questioned the impact that this type of operation may have on immigrant families.
Community activities have also been developed to guide residents on immigration processes, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and the procedures they can follow when approached by federal authorities.
ICE operations in Manhattan
The situation acquires particular relevance for the Dominican community due to the historic concentration of Dominicans in Washington Heights and Inwood.
For decades, both sectors have established themselves as cultural, commercial, and social benchmarks for Dominicans living in the United States.
In light of reports regarding possible ICE operations, community organizations have asked to avoid spreading unconfirmed rumors and to verify reports before sharing them on social media.
Likewise, they recommend that people who have questions about their immigration status seek specialized legal advice and know their rights beforehand in the event of any interaction with federal agents.
The NYIC complaint comes amid a scenario of increased tension in various immigrant communities in New York, as civil organizations maintain vigilance over ICE’s actions and their potential effects among foreign residents.
