MIDTOWN MANHATTAN — Demonstrators gathered on the steps of the New York Public Library Sunday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and new White House policies targeting undocumented immigrants, namely the Trump administration plan to deploy law enforcement tactical units from the southern border to sanctuary cities.
Thirty protesters were arrested, police said.
“We are keeping people in conditions that foster disease and misery and it’s on us all across the country and the continent to speak out against this,” said activist Matt Garczynski.
Protesters called for abolishing ICE. They pointed out how an unarmed man was shot earlier this month by an ICE officer on a Brooklyn street.
“It might not affect you today, it affects the people like me and the people standing behind me,” said Heidi Torres through a megaphone.
Demonstrators called out companies profiting by providing personal data that is helping ICE agents track down illegal immigrants.
“The system of detention and deportation in the US would not be able to function without the cooperation with corporations,” said organizer Andy Ratto.
Protesters marched from the library to 42nd Street and 7th Avenue where they blocked traffic. Several people were arrested. The company they targeted was Thomson Reuters.
Later Sunday, people gathered at a vigil for the man who’d been shot by an ICE officer.
