Rahway Residents Demand Action as Fears of ICE Raids Grow

As federal officials threaten to send more troops and immigration agents into local communities, a group of Rahway residents expressed concern for their neighbors and called on city leaders to take steps to protect residents.

The neighbors spoke out at a City Hall meeting last Monday, just days before a deadly shooting in suburban Chicago involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. In that case, ICE said the person killed tried to drive away from a traffic stop and dragged an agent. The agent, fearing for their life, opened fire and killed the driver.

Rahway residents said they did not want to see a similar situation happen in their community.

“I’m wondering what we can do—this is like on a grander scale—to protect our immigrant population from possible mobilization of ICE in our community,” Lisa Ferraro told city council members. “I’m very concerned for them in general, with the tone of the country, and I wouldn’t want more pressure to be put on them.”

Half a dozen neighbors echoed the same fears, raising alarms about the safety of immigrants in normally trusted spaces such as hospitals, libraries, and schools.

Carmine Pernini, pastor of Zion Community Church in Rahway, shared how the anxiety has reached even young children. His son, then six years old, once asked if he would be deported after hearing classmates talk about being taken by agents.

“My kid, he’s a white kid, a citizen,” Pernini said. “But he’s worried about it, and so are other kids in the schools.”

Concerns also centered on surveillance. Several residents urged city leaders to think carefully about what information they collect as plans move forward to add new cameras to the public library.

Amy Garcia Phillips warned that footage could eventually be turned over to federal agencies. At a recent library board meeting, officials said they plan to take measures to protect privacy, but they also acknowledged they are legally obligated to follow warrants. State law also allows local businesses to register their security cameras with police, who may then share that footage with federal officials. Police involvement in immigration enforcement was another recurring worry.

“Will the police defend the rights of people to make sure that ICE has a warrant for their arrest before they’re taken?” Andrew Garcia Phillips asked council members.

Alejandro Jaramillo, an immigrant himself, summed up the fear in his community with a stark question: “Who is knocking on our door?”

Social media rumors have added to the tension. Lisa Vandever pointed to an August Facebook post showing masked officers on New Brunswick Avenue, which left many residents afraid.

“I’m hoping that you all are putting your minds to this and how we’re going to protect Rahway’s citizens,” Vandever said.

Council Vice President Jeffrey Brooks responded, clarifying that the incident was not an ICE raid but an operation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

“These officers did have their faces covered, so there was a lot of things floating around on social media,” Brooks said. “It got directly to me. I got footage sent to me, and I verified it with our business administrator and our police department.”

Other speakers pushed for stronger measures, including an ordinance banning masked officers within city limits.

When council members gave their closing remarks, many expressed sympathy for immigrant residents but stopped short of pledging concrete steps. Instead, they voiced frustration with the political climate.

Council Member Al Montesdeoca said responsibility lies with national leaders.

“We all have to understand something right at the end of the day, this problem started a long, long time ago when a bunch of us decided to vote for somebody that ran on hate,” said Montesdeoca.

Council Member Danni Newbury also stressed that elections carry consequences.

“I don’t know to what extent I’m actually allowed to use this forum, but what I will say is there’s an election on November 4 that will have a direct impact on the state of New Jersey,” she said.

Newbury was referring to New Jersey’s gubernatorial election, though she did not endorse and candidate. Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli has blamed many of the state’s problems on undocumented immigrants and pledged to support the Trump administration’s deportation efforts.