Clergy members arrested while attempting to block the ICE garage in Center City
The action came as No ICE Philly and allied pro-immigrant groups launched “A Week of Action Against ICE and Collaborators,” seeking to bring attention to ongoing immigration arrests.
Pro-immigrant activists were arrested at the ICE garage in Center City Monday morning after attempting to block vehicles from leaving the agency headquarters.
It marked another in what has become a regular, ongoing series of protests against ICE operations in the city and region.
This action began shortly after 8 a.m., on the south side of Cherry Street, where vehicles exit near Eighth Street, as clergy members moved into an area marked as restricted.
Philadelphia police watched from nearby, as an additional 20 or more protesters wrapped up a protest in which they shouted slogans and blew whistles outside the agency’s front doors. Clergy members from several Philadelphia churches prayed and sang “We shall not be moved” before taking up their positions outside the big metal garage doors.
Around 9:30 a.m., Homeland Security officers began forcibly pushing clergy members away from the garage doors and into the street. They did did not appear injured and soon regrouped, continuing to protest.
By 9:45 a.m., officers began taking protesters into custody. They handcuffed around a dozen clergy members, binding their hands with zip ties and holding them in the large ICE garage. The sound of protesters’ singing was heard behind the garage door after it closed.
The action came as No ICE Philly and allied pro-immigrant groups launched “A Week of Action Against ICE and Collaborators,” seeking to bring attention to ongoing immigration arrests and to call on people and institutions to protect city residents. The week was designed to coincide with Holy Week and the start of Passover.
“We want the migrants coming in and out of this building to know that we stand with them, and God stands with them,” said Johnny Rashid, pastor of the West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship who is active in No ICE Philly, the organizer. “We want the public to see that their clergy and their communities know what ICE is doing is wrong.”
Rashid said clergy were willing to be arrested for blocking the garage. “We are going to do our best to impeded ICE and how they’re harming our community.”
At 9:15 a.m., a Homeland Security officer issued a second warning to clergy members to clear the area. A third and final warning soon followed.
No one moved from the line of clergy.
“Praise God for your courage!” someone called out to the clergy members.“I am not afraid,” they sang back.
Efforts to block ICE vehicles from departing the agency headquarters have begun to occur more regularly.
A similar protest took place in January, when a group of clergy and immigration advocates locked arms in front of the parking bay. One vehicle was able to leave, with the help of Philadelphia police.
In October, a demonstration outside the ICE office at Eighth and Cherry Streets erupted into physical confrontations with police, as several people were pushed to the ground and four were arrested.
The four were later released after being given citations for obstruction of highway, a violation that typically results in a fine.
Meanwhile, No ICE Philly has quickly become one of the most active pro-immigration groups in the city, confronting the sheriff’s office over ICE arrests outside the courthouse and disrupting area Target stores over their support of the federal agency.