Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE arrested one person in the city of Ithaca.
On Sunday, hundreds of people rallied against ICE activity in the area.
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AURORA BERRY: A large crowd gathered at the Ithaca Commons to protest the arrest of Jesus Romero-Hernandez.
He’s a Mexican citizen who was federally charged with reentering the country after a prior removal.
He was detained by ICE on Thursday after being recently released from the Tompkins County jail, where he had been serving time for a third degree assault charge.
In a statement confirming the arrest, acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove took aim at the county and Ithaca’s “sanctuary” immigration policies. Both have laws that limit local officials’ involvement with federal immigration enforcement. Bove also called for the county sheriff’s office to be federally investigated for releasing Romero-Hernandez from jail before ICE could retrieve him.
Tompkins County officials say there was no interference with federal immigration enforcement.
Debbie Bennett Reynolds, the pastor at the First Baptist Church in Ithaca, spoke at a forum following the rally.
DEBBIE BENNETT REYNOLDS: I believe that the powers that be are trying to make of us a test case, an example, a small sanctuary city. Liberal Ithaca, right? Well, I think we're going to prove to be worthy of the challenge.
BERRY: The Justice Department has previously said that local officials who do not cooperate with intensifying immigration enforcement could face charges.
In 2017, the Trump administration tried to withhold federal money from sanctuary cities. But that move was blocked by a judge.
The Ithaca Common Council is scheduled to vote on reaffirming “sanctuary city” laws at their Wednesday meeting.