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Bloomington Left in Fear After ICE Raids
By Ella Cummings
Fear and confusion have gripped Bloomington as ICE law enforcement have made unexpected arrests in our community.
In recent weeks, the Bloomington community has faced an unprecedented presence of ICE law enforcement officers. With arrests made of Bloomington residents and frequent appearances of ICE agents, many members of the community are left feeling uncertain and scared.
On April 29th, President Donald Trump’s promises for mass deportations played out in Bloomington. ICE agents detained one man after a court hearing on charges of residing in the country illegally. He is currently residing in a federal detention center.
One day later, on April 30th, similar arrests were made of three men on the grounds of residing in the country illegally. ICE agents arrested these Bloomington residents following traffic stops. All three men are now detained in a minimum security prison in Kentucky awaiting immigration trials.
***
Christie Popp, an immigration attorney in Bloomington, helped explain the impact as a whole, that ICE presence has had on the immigrant community. She enumerated how ICE operations function and how it instills fear in immigrant communities.
“Among the immigrant community, there’s a lot of fear and concern,” said Popp, “and knowing that ice could come at any time is really disconcerting.”
Next, Popp expressed how the recent ICE activity has impacted her office. With immigration enforcement largely targeting individuals who have not committed crimes and who are of a legal status, she has experienced an influx of permanent residents concerned for their status and safety.
“They are scared that they are going to be picked up by ICE either accidentally,” she said, “or who knows at what point the Trump administration is going to expand their operations.”
***
Erin Aquino, resettlement director of Exodus Refugee, an organization that provides support to refugees in Bloomington and Indianapolis, outlined the impact of ICE’s recent presence. She stated that many members of the community have been left feeling terrified and that events have been cancelled in fear of being singled out by ICE.
Aquino said, “people call us, should their kids go to school? Should they go to work? Are they safe to go out?”
Tim Clark, an organizer of the Palestine Solidarity Committee at Indiana University, further affirmed the devastating impact that immigration authorities have had on the community.
“I think fear is one of the biggest problems that we’re dealing with,” said Clark.
Clark elaborated more on how ICE has targeted individuals. He explained that on the national level, many people who have spoken in support of the Palestinian movement have been targeted by ICE and deported due to their involvement with the movement.
“A lot of Palestine organizers have been targeted,” he said, “simply for speaking out in favor of Palestine.”
***
In a statement from the Mayor’s Office, Mayor Kerry Thomson explained the limitations of the city’s authority in regards to the actions of federal immigration authorities. She stated, “[f]ederal immigration enforcement falls outside the City’s legal authority. We cannot prevent federal officers from operating within their jurisdiction. Federal immigration authorities can enter our community without advance notice or informing us of their intended actions. While the City remains guided by principles of dignity and safety, we operate within legal frameworks established by the federal government.”
While the city has limited power, local organizations and non-profits have stepped up in response to the ICE presence. Aquino explained what Exodus has done as an organization in response to the situation unfolding in the community.
“We have case management services, employment services, mental health services and legal services,” she said, “and we’re just providing a lot of outreach and telling the truth about these communities.”
***
Popp outlined the rights that an undocumented individual possesses and the steps that they can take if approached by ICE officers.
“They have the right to stay silent,” she said, “they can stand there calmly and ask, Am I being detained? Am I being arrested or detained? Or am I free to go and just stand there patiently until they’re told that they’re free to go.”
For individuals who are merely bystanders, Popp then explains the procedure that they can follow in incidents with ICE. Although their ability to interfere is limited, bystanders can videotape interactions between an individual and ICE agents.
“A bystander must keep some distance away from any kind of enforcement operation,” she said, “and they can certainly videotape what’s going on.”
Aquino explained that the fear of persecution from ICE extends to those with those whose immigration status is protected or not. This point is highlighted by the recent deportations nationally of those who have protected statuses, such as Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador by ICE officials despite his protected status that determined he could legally live and work in the United States. With this uncertainty in mind, Aquino highlighted what a person who feels scared due to their immigration status can do.
“It’s important to have safety plans,” she said, “and if they’re a client of Exodus, they can call Exodus. There’s the National Lawyers Guild that has a toll free number that people can call if they’re detained. You know, if you have children and you’re detained, who can look after your kids?”
***
For those who are concerned about the situation unfolding and wondering how they can help, Aquino summarized the best steps to take when ICE is present. This includes knowing your rights as a bystander, knowing the rights of the targeted individual, getting involved with organizations such as Exodus, and letting your voice be heard.
“Know your rights and know the rights of our immigrant neighbors, and so if you see ICE in town, speak up,” she said.
The recent arrests have left many in Bloomington shaken, but not silent. Various organizations, such as the Palestinian Solidarity Committee and Exodus Refugee, and local immigration attorneys, including Christie Popp, offer valuable information and resources.
View all episodes
By WFHBBy Ella Cummings
Fear and confusion have gripped Bloomington as ICE law enforcement have made unexpected arrests in our community.
In recent weeks, the Bloomington community has faced an unprecedented presence of ICE law enforcement officers. With arrests made of Bloomington residents and frequent appearances of ICE agents, many members of the community are left feeling uncertain and scared.
On April 29th, President Donald Trump’s promises for mass deportations played out in Bloomington. ICE agents detained one man after a court hearing on charges of residing in the country illegally. He is currently residing in a federal detention center.
One day later, on April 30th, similar arrests were made of three men on the grounds of residing in the country illegally. ICE agents arrested these Bloomington residents following traffic stops. All three men are now detained in a minimum security prison in Kentucky awaiting immigration trials.
***
Christie Popp, an immigration attorney in Bloomington, helped explain the impact as a whole, that ICE presence has had on the immigrant community. She enumerated how ICE operations function and how it instills fear in immigrant communities.
“Among the immigrant community, there’s a lot of fear and concern,” said Popp, “and knowing that ice could come at any time is really disconcerting.”
Next, Popp expressed how the recent ICE activity has impacted her office. With immigration enforcement largely targeting individuals who have not committed crimes and who are of a legal status, she has experienced an influx of permanent residents concerned for their status and safety.
“They are scared that they are going to be picked up by ICE either accidentally,” she said, “or who knows at what point the Trump administration is going to expand their operations.”
***
Erin Aquino, resettlement director of Exodus Refugee, an organization that provides support to refugees in Bloomington and Indianapolis, outlined the impact of ICE’s recent presence. She stated that many members of the community have been left feeling terrified and that events have been cancelled in fear of being singled out by ICE.
Aquino said, “people call us, should their kids go to school? Should they go to work? Are they safe to go out?”
Tim Clark, an organizer of the Palestine Solidarity Committee at Indiana University, further affirmed the devastating impact that immigration authorities have had on the community.
“I think fear is one of the biggest problems that we’re dealing with,” said Clark.
Clark elaborated more on how ICE has targeted individuals. He explained that on the national level, many people who have spoken in support of the Palestinian movement have been targeted by ICE and deported due to their involvement with the movement.
“A lot of Palestine organizers have been targeted,” he said, “simply for speaking out in favor of Palestine.”
***
In a statement from the Mayor’s Office, Mayor Kerry Thomson explained the limitations of the city’s authority in regards to the actions of federal immigration authorities. She stated, “[f]ederal immigration enforcement falls outside the City’s legal authority. We cannot prevent federal officers from operating within their jurisdiction. Federal immigration authorities can enter our community without advance notice or informing us of their intended actions. While the City remains guided by principles of dignity and safety, we operate within legal frameworks established by the federal government.”
While the city has limited power, local organizations and non-profits have stepped up in response to the ICE presence. Aquino explained what Exodus has done as an organization in response to the situation unfolding in the community.
“We have case management services, employment services, mental health services and legal services,” she said, “and we’re just providing a lot of outreach and telling the truth about these communities.”
***
Popp outlined the rights that an undocumented individual possesses and the steps that they can take if approached by ICE officers.
“They have the right to stay silent,” she said, “they can stand there calmly and ask, Am I being detained? Am I being arrested or detained? Or am I free to go and just stand there patiently until they’re told that they’re free to go.”
For individuals who are merely bystanders, Popp then explains the procedure that they can follow in incidents with ICE. Although their ability to interfere is limited, bystanders can videotape interactions between an individual and ICE agents.
“A bystander must keep some distance away from any kind of enforcement operation,” she said, “and they can certainly videotape what’s going on.”
Aquino explained that the fear of persecution from ICE extends to those with those whose immigration status is protected or not. This point is highlighted by the recent deportations nationally of those who have protected statuses, such as Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador by ICE officials despite his protected status that determined he could legally live and work in the United States. With this uncertainty in mind, Aquino highlighted what a person who feels scared due to their immigration status can do.
“It’s important to have safety plans,” she said, “and if they’re a client of Exodus, they can call Exodus. There’s the National Lawyers Guild that has a toll free number that people can call if they’re detained. You know, if you have children and you’re detained, who can look after your kids?”
***
For those who are concerned about the situation unfolding and wondering how they can help, Aquino summarized the best steps to take when ICE is present. This includes knowing your rights as a bystander, knowing the rights of the targeted individual, getting involved with organizations such as Exodus, and letting your voice be heard.
“Know your rights and know the rights of our immigrant neighbors, and so if you see ICE in town, speak up,” she said.
The recent arrests have left many in Bloomington shaken, but not silent. Various organizations, such as the Palestinian Solidarity Committee and Exodus Refugee, and local immigration attorneys, including Christie Popp, offer valuable information and resources.