At this time of year, most New Yorkers’ main concern should be the icy conditions of the streets. However, they are instead having to worry about a different type of ICE-y condition. One rooted in violence and racial prejudice, one intended to divide, rather than unite. New Yorkers should not only be worried about incoming Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, but also be prepared to protect a city rooted in the mass of immigrants that make New York the city it has always been: a city of diversity.
Recently, ICE raids have been prevalent in many cities across the United States, notably Chicago, Minneapolis, Charlotte, North Carolina, Los Angeles and New York City, which could be their next target. New York City, as a whole, should become more concerned about these raids as they have not only been violent, but targeted against all people of various ethnicities and citizenship statuses, notably arresting many people of color who have U.S. citizenship.
With the election of NYC mayor, Zohran Mamadani, there is hope of more resistance to these ICE raids. However, this is an optimistic hope and ask of Mamdani, as the raids have been forceful and have occurred in very progressive cities, yet have lacked accountability or resistance due to the power of the federal government. This is cause for further concern to New Yorkers who have consistently shown retaliation and protest following the Minneapolis raids and murder of American citizen Renée Good. I think this act of violence and pressing danger against an extremely diverse city, representing so many ethnic groups, causes fear, and though Mamdani has shown his dissent against these raids, there is still a practicality that needs to be addressed. There is really not a whole lot he can do, as resistance to the federal government has been proven to be easily dismissed. Thus, it will take community action and protection of all minority groups in the city to minimize damage from these raids.
The major concern of New Yorkers is that NYC economically depends on its 38% of foreign-born citizens; thus, these ICE raids would hurt the functioning of the city and disrupt many local communities and businesses. Furthermore, the main purpose of these raids is to target criminals and those actively making parts of the U.S. unsafe. Since the start of these raids, more than 290,000 people have been arrested. Due to the fact that many of those arrested do not have a criminal history, this contradicts the original intent of these raids. Also, with the recent deaths of Good and Alex Pretti, it is clear that these raids are no longer about race, but an attempt to control those who are resistant to the federal government, by killing white Americans. Therefore, it should be a main concern of all New York citizens, documented or not, to be prepared to protect themselves, their families and their communities as a whole, to remain safe.
Minnesota has been the prime target of these raids and to better understand, I spoke with Hannah Butler, FCRH ’29, a resident of a suburb 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. Butler specifically noted that “the events occurring in Minnesota are making me embarrassed to admit that [I’m] from there.” Her worries come from a place of fear, as she has witnessed both close friends and family members being personally affected by the horrific actions of ICE. She said that New Yorkers should not only be worried, but angry, as she mentioned, “if our president can do the things he’s doing to us in [Minnesota], he can just as easily do the same in [New York].” Butler feels as though New Yorkers should take the anger at what they are witnessing of the events in Minneapolis, and the murder of Good and fight back. This is exactly what New Yorkers have started to do. I personally attended an anti-ICE protest on Friday, Jan. 24, and the thousands of angry New Yorkers enduring the cold weather to fight for their community brought some hope.
New Yorkers have every right to be worried about these potential incoming raids, yet I think most feel more anger than worry and will continue to protest and fight for this diverse city. However, there are many precautions New Yorkers can take to enhance their safety and protect one another. According to @nycblockwatch on Instagram, New Yorkers should “keep emergency contact,” such as “lawyers and [a] rapid response team,” and should not open the door unless there is a real warrant. Finally, it is important to “map sanctuary spots” within your neighborhood. These tips are key to ensuring the safety of all neighborhoods in New York.
This is also important for Fordham students to be aware of, as the neighborhood around Fordham is a targeted spot for ICE raids, according to Senator Gustavo Rivera. Fordham University should not simply be separated from the community, but engage with it, and thus, this means it is important for students to understand the precautions and ways to help immigrants, and all people of color for that matter, within our community.
Anthony Korolos, FCRH ’29, is a political science and international political economy major with a French minor from Charlotte, NC.
