Community shows up to defend immigrants from ICE arrests in Grand Rapids, while GRPD cooperates with ICE

Editor’s note – as a matter of transparency, I am part of GR Rapid Response to ICE, which means I was a direct participant in the defensive work to protect immigrants coming to the ICE check-in appointments.

It is difficult for those of us who consume news media to not know that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been arresting and detaining immigrants all across the country. Wednesday was one of the larger ICE apprehensions that we have seen in Grand Rapids since the beginning of the year.

People may not know, but there is an office building behind the Omelette Shop on Michigan St. near the Medical Mile, where people who have been release from immigration detention must check-in regularly with ICE. The office I am referring to is the ISAP (Intensive Supervision Appearance Program) office, an office that is well hidden and not on people’s radar.

On Wednesday, GR Rapid Response to ICE received a call from someone who was accompanying an immigrant to their ICE check-in appointment, only to find out that ICE had arrested the person.

People who attended a GR Rapid Response to ICE training began arriving around noon. There were people standing outside the building to let people who were coming for an appointment know what was happening, plus several people went inside the building and into the ISAP office to alert those waiting that ICE was taking people.

An ISAP staff person told those of us with GR Rapid Response to ICE that we could not be there, but people resisted the command to leave and continued to talk with those who had ICE check-in appointments. While looking at the person who was asking everyone to leave, I noticed a door that was open behind them, with 2 men standing in the doorway. These two men were dressed the same, but without any markings or insignia that communicated they were ICE. 

Because GR Rapid Response to ICE members refused to leave, the ISAP office manager then said that everyone needed to leave. In this instance people complied and they promptly locked the door behind us. This provided those with GR Rapid Response to ICE an opportunity to speak with those who came for appointments, provide them with out ICE Alert phone number and other ways we could support those who were being threatened by ICE.

After about 20 minutes, Grand Rapids cops showed up in the building asking what we were doing and who was “in charge.” The GRPD cops then were invited into the ISAP office and talk with the office manager. Two minutes later the GRPD came back out of the office and then instructed people to leave, as we were all on private property. After some conversation, everyone left the building to meet up with those who were outside, when the GRPD made it known that people could stand there either. 

At this point there were more GR Rapid Response to ICE volunteers on the scene numbering roughly 25. At the same time, several more GRPD cruisers arrived, making it a total of 6. 

No sooner had we all moved to the sidewalk, that the two men who were in the back area of the ISAP office, slipped out another door, this time with masks on. Several people followed them and tried to engage them verbally about what they were doing, while simultaneously filming them. 

For the next 2 hours the community that had shown up to the call to defend members of the immigrant community, continued to be vigilant and see if any of the people who had earlier appoints in the ISAP office would be released. One by one people who had earlier appointments walked out the front door, where they were greeted with applause and hugs. Several of the people who were released felt that their release was due to the fact that GR Rapid Response to ICE was present with numbers. 

Not everyone was fortunate on this day. We found out that on Wednesday morning, people who had earlier appointments were taken by ICE, most likely to the Calhoun County Jail in Battle Creek. You can see video here of ICE agents taking someone just as GR Rapid Response to ICE was arriving.

I also spoke with a woman who was in tears because her husband had a deportation order and he did not come out of the ISAP office the whole time people were there. People were offering comfort for this woman, plus they let her know that GR Rapid Response to ICE can also offer financial support, transportation, other forms of material support, and even Sanctuary, if she and her family no longer felt safe where they were living. 

Movimiento Cosecha was present the entire time to offer support, to engage those from the affected community, plus they were livestreaming what was happening on Facebook. 

GR Rapids Response to ICE and Movimiento Cosecha organizers also used the time to talk about how to respond to this new tactic that ICE was using. This is what they came up with:

1. For anyone who has a future appointment at the ISAP office and wants someone to accompany them, GR Rapid Response can provide that kind of support.
2. For anyone who does not want to risk being taken by ICE while attending their ISAP appointment, GR Rapid Response to ICE can offer Sanctuary for them and their family members. For those who want support they can call 616-238-0081 or send an Email to info@grrapidresponsetoice.org. 

Also, GR Rapid Response to ICE is asking people to show up anytime between 9am and 3pm today – Thursday, June 5th. 

Lastly, as Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE continue to pressure the City of Grand Rapids to adopt a Sanctuary policy, remember that Mayor LaGrand and Chief Winston continue to claims that the GRPD does not cooperate with ICE. What we all witnessed on Wednesday was a very clear example of how the cops collaborated with ICE at the ISAP office, where ICE agents were present. Once again, we are being lied to by the GRPD and Grand Rapids elected officials.