Community demands answers from the Kent County Sheriff about their cooperation with ICE and complicity in separating immigrant families

During the lunch hour, around 15 people with Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE entered the Kent County Sheriff’s office to engage in a disruption action, since these groups have learned that the Sheriff’s office is collaborating with ICE by putting holds on immigrants who have already been bonded out of the Kent County Jail.

Two weeks ago, a similar action took place at the Kent County Sheriff’s office, where the Sheriff did not come out, instead one of her underlings spoke with those who were demanding answers.

During this action people were chanting loudly to disrupt business as usual at the Sheriff’s office, using chants like ICE and Cops go hand in hand, No Hate No Fear Immigrants are welcome here, and Up Up with Liberation…Down Down with deportation.

After about 20 minutes of chanting the Kent County Sheriff, Michelle LaJoye-Young, did come out to speak with those who were involved in the disruptive action. The Sheriff initially said that if we wanted to hold a silent vigil and peacefully protest, then we were welcomed to stay. Someone from GR Rapid Response to ICE said that they were here two weeks ago to demand some answers, and the Sheriff responded that she was not told about our presence two weeks ago.

The Sheriff was asked to give a simple response to the question, “Is the Kent County Sheriff’s office cooperating with ICE, by engaging in ICE holds with immigrants who have already been bonded out of the jail.” The Sheriff said that if we wanted answers that we should set up an appointment with her to meet. Cosecha uses the tactic of public meetings/conversations to make sure that politicians do not say one thing in private and another thing in public.

The Sheriff went on to say, “this is a place of business and I have other obligations right now.” Someone asked if they could just respond to the questions about ICE holds. Again, the Sheriff said that if we want to have a conversation that we needed to make an appointment. She went on to say that she did not have time to talk with us right now and that she was not going to speak with us because we would just take excerpts of what she said and spin it.

The Sheriff then said that we needed to be quiet or we will be asked to leave. A Cosecha organizer then shared what the Sheriff had said, followed by inviting people to chant once again. The Sheriff then came back out to the lobby, this time with two large cops and demanded that people leave or they would be arrested. Everyone slowly walked out of the building, still chanting until they were all outside.

Now, I was under the impression that the Sheriff’s office was not a business and that they existed for public safety, which is what we were all taught about cops in 8th grade civics class. In addition, they are supposed to work for us, since they are public servants, a sentiment that we were also taught in school. Those who live in Kent County and pay taxes here, pay for their salaries, which make their work in the public sphere. Despite what we were all taught, cops exist to enforce the laws created by those with power and privilege, laws there generally protect property and those with more power and privilege.

Last year I reported that Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young was re-elected and ran unopposed during the November 2024 election. Despite running unopposed, she raised $131,531.39, with the majority of her campaign contributions coming from the DeVos family and other members of the local power structure. It seems clear to me that she represents their interests and not that of the most vulnerable in Kent County.

Movimiento Cosecha also made it clear that this action at the Kent County Sheriff’s office was part of the larger sanctuary policy demands that they have been working on since the beginning of the year.