Debate, protests continue over ICE enforcement in Chattanooga
CALEB holding a rally in front of the Hamilton County Courthouse to oppose ICE on Friday.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- More protests continued Friday across Chattanooga, opposing the actions of ICE.
This in the wake of violent incidents across the country, including Minnesota.
A group of protestors showed up to voice their concerns in Miller Park this afternoon.
Organizers claimed that over three hundred people showed up.
They say that ICE enforcement is causing unnecessary danger.
Protest organizer Noah Abbas said, “We’re out here to protest against those over the top aggressive actions that the ICE agency has already committed in Minneapolis and is already on their way to Chattanooga.”
Abbas says that the turnout is a sign people are turning against ICE.
However, we have heard from numerous viewers that they disagree with the protestors, supporting ICE.
We spoke with one resident who also supports ICE, Cassie Marshall, who believes that the agency is just trying to protect public safety and uphold immigration law.
Marshall said of the protests, “It’s a slap in the face to the immigrants that have come to our country legally and went through the process. They did everything right, but then there’s a whole bunch of other people that are here and committing violent crimes against women and children, other men. It’s just insane to me!”
Marshall says that she wishes that neither Renee Good or Alex Pretti were killed, but added that victims of murders committed by illegal immigrants such as Jocelyn Nungaray or Laken Riley should also be remembered in this debate.
She said, “Jocelyn Nungaray was a 12-year-old little girl. There were no protests for her. There were no protest for Laken Riley. We had vigils for these people. We didn’t go out and protest and burn down cities.”
The Chattanoogans for Love, Equality, and Benevolence, or CALEB for short, also held a rally in front of the Hamilton County Courthouse Friday afternoon.
They continued their call for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office to end their partnership with ICE through the 287 (g) program, where deputies can enforce immigration law and turn over undocumented immigrants to ICE.
Rev. Laura Becker of the Northminster Presbyterian Church said, “Immigrant communities are being hunted and terrorized by immigration and customs enforcement officers. Individuals are afraid to go to work. Children are afraid to go to school.”
Protestors say they reject the notion that ICE enforcement is improving public safety.
Abbas said, “I don’t think that’s making me, nor any of these other people any safer. I think they’re heavy-handed, aggressive, and I don’t see how what they’ve done has made anyone safer.”
Marshall says that she would like to see local law enforcement continue their partnership with ICE.
She said, “They are here to keep our city safe and if they’re gonna support ICE in this, they will have my support as well.”
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has not commented on the protests this week, but Sheriff Garrett stated in the past his agency’s involvement in the program was motivated by a desire to keep drugs out of the county.
