The Hudson County Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Cosecha NJ, the Latino Action Network (LAN), and 32BJ SEIU held a pro-immigration/anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rally at Jersey City City Hall last night. 
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Isaac Jimenez, of the Hudson County, DSA served as emcee for the evening and explained a man in the Heights was detained by ICE on Monday, which spurned the rally. He also noted there is a plan for a new privately owned ICE detention center in Newark.
“We need to fight back! No one should be torn away from their families,” he exclaimed.
“Some have to face the fear of being ripped away from the only life they’ve known. Being undocumented is not a crime. It is a circumstance, a reality shaped by a broken immigration,” stated LAN Board Member Cory Garriga.
“We’ve seen this before, Germany 1933: They used mass deportations and vilified people to get their agenda across and we are seeing it now. Targeting entire families, tearing families apart is a crime against justice and humanity and everything this country stands for.”
Garriga, who is also an aide to Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea, criticized any local leaders who have been silent on the issue.
He also claimed that as of earlier this month, 55 percent of the people detained did not have criminal records, despite ICE’s claims to the contrary.
“Instead of being able to focus on progress, here we are concerned about horrific abuse of power that is violating the Constitution. Now is the time to come together as a state,” declared 32nd Legislative District Assembly candidate Katie Brennan.
“We need to show the [President Donald] Trump administration this is not ok. Indiscriminate raids will not make us safer. It’s just instilling fear in our communities and stripping our friends and neighbors of their dignity.”
She also said Democrats in Washington, D.C. are not taking the matter as seriously as they should be.
“These Democrats in office are responding as if this is another round of normal sparing: We are not witnessing politics as usual. It is an orchestrated assault on the very foundations of our democracy.”
“We need to fight to protect New Jersey and to make our state a firewall against federal overreach and attacks on our communities.”
She also called on the legislature to pass the Immigrant Trust Act as soon as possible.
“The mayor of this town was invited and is not here,” Jimenez said before introducing Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, another LD-32 Assembly candidate.
“Shame!” the crowd yelled.
Bhalla said the first thing he did when he became mayor was make Hoboken a sanctuary city.
“Nobody in the Hoboken Police Department can cooperate with federal authorities, including ICE, in any way, shape or form: If you’re arrested or detained, we cannot ask about your immigration status,” he explained.
“We in America are equal human beings, full stop period!”
He also noted there is legislation pending in Trenton to codify New Jersey as a sanctuary state to protect undocumented immigrants. It was first done as a directive from Gov. Phil Murphy (D).
“We don’t know who the next governor is going to be. She or he could simply repeal that directive. The senate president [Nick Scutari], the second or third most powerful person in New Jersey, said I don’t know enough about the law. I haven’t read it yet,” he said to boos.
An activist from Cosecha NJ noted there was an ICE raid in North Bergen on Wednesday and claimed there is a “waiting room filled with people” at the detention center in Elizabeth.
“Don’t call me illegal! Because that’s not what I am!” the crowd yelled in Spanish.
“ICE and DHS didn’t exist before 9/11: It was an agency that was supposed to fight terrorism, but it’s causing terror in our communities,” said DSA member and Ward B council candidate Joel Brooks.
“We just elected Senator Andy Kim. He helped smash the line and that’s really important for democracy in this state. But he voted to confirm the Head of the DHS in the Trump Administration, Kristi Noem.”
DSA member and Ward D council candidate Jake Ephros noted he was part of peaceful protest vigils against former Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise for allowing ICE detentions in the Hudson County jail.
He noted they protested outside his home, and sheriff’s deputies arrested them and sought to impose restraining orders quickly, which was deemed unconstitutional.
“I and three others that night did get arrested. If civil obedience and direct action is what it takes to make sure that we can defend our neighbors, protect families from being ripped apart, and make sure none of our community has to live in fear, I would get arrested again and again and again,” he declared.
“We’re not free until the whole world is free!” Ephros exclaimed in Spanish.
Ephros wanted to shelter undocumented immigrants and de-prioritize minor offense enforcement to protected undocumented immigrants.
“Everyone here in Jersey City can stand up to the Trump Administration,” Ephros argued.
“You have federal funding that’s on a string: Livelihoods are being torn apart because of this funding freeze,” Jimenez added.
Others in attendance included Jersey City mayoral candidate Mussab Ali, Hoboken Public Library Director Jennie Pu, and Jersey City Director of Buildings and Street Maintenance Crystal Fonseca, both of whom are running for LD-32 Assembly with the backing of the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO).
Great rally, keep the pressure! It’s only two years between now and the midterms and there’s a lot of work to do that establishment machine Democrats are doing nothing to advance (as usual).
Same crowd of malcontent communist front groups and their shameful appeasers. Do not vote for anyone who was there.
Hasn’t the Democratic Party learned from the last election that call anyone who they disagree a Nazi is both disgusting and a losing strategy.
If it sounds like a Nazi, goosesteps like a Nazi, and “gestures” like a Nazi: they’re a Nazi.
These r the people responsible for making this country Garbage by supporting illegal immigration.
And MAGA chuds are the people responsible for selling this country to Musk and Putin. I’ll take any other undocumented immigrant over Musk any day.
I live in jersey city and I have been helping ice spot and report illegals. I also report those who aid them. So you FA all you want. You will reach FO portion soon enough
You would have reported Anne Frank.
The distant past has nothing to do with illegals setting fire to women on subways. Maybe some disgusting people like that
The people who did the protest had to go through security to enter City Hall. So City Hall does not want anyone to enter its place without due process and that includes those protesting those people who broke US immigration laws. It is rather ironic.
I can’t wait for the government to start charging all green card holders 5000.00 a year to stay in my country!
Delusional Dems numbers dwindled to less then 3 dozen now, and they had to combine JC and Hob to be seen. What exactly do they propose, beside chanting Orange Man Is Bad?
The Democratic Party is losing their base due to supporting crimes, illegal aliens and foreign nationals, defund the police, telling people in America that they need to pay high taxes so the Democratic Party can keep providing for the illegal aliens and foreign nationals with government assistance programs, and more.