Confirming federal immigration agent presence is nothing new for Juan Fonseca Tapia. As co-founder and organizer for Greater Danbury Unites for Immigrants, he responds to alerts sent to their rapid response network to confirm reported ICE presence.
That’s how his day started on Saturday, Aug. 2, at around 7:30 a.m. when he got an alert for ICE presence just across the state line between Danbury, Connecticut, and Brewster, New York. He said it was “very close” to his residence.
Fonseca Tapia started driving around the area to alert people about ICE presence after spotting over five suspicious vehicles.
“I saw a Ford Explorer that seemed suspicious, but then I saw a person inside on the driver's side,” Fonseca Tapia said. “He was wearing a vest and a helmet. I told myself, ‘Oh, it's a contractor, a construction person.' So I kept on driving.”
Fonseca Tapia said he later noticed the vehicle following him, so he decided to pull into the parking lot of St. Lawrence O’Toole Church. He said that the car followed him into the parking lot, along with two other vehicles. Then, the person dressed as a construction worker approached his rolled-up window.
“He wouldn't identify himself even though I kept on asking him to identify himself, and he kept on insisting for me to roll down my window and also to leave the parking lot of the church,” Fonseca Tapia said. “He said, ‘If you don't leave, I have more of my guys, and we're going to take care of you.’ And I really felt that they were probably going to take me.”
In a video recording Fonseca Tapia captured inside his car, the man is seen wearing a high visibility safety vest, a face covering over his nose and mouth, and an orange hard hat. He can be heard through the window saying, “I’m with federal law enforcement.”
After Fonseca Tapia asks what agency he is from, the man can be heard saying, “I’m not gonna tell you.”
WTNH reported Thursday that ICE confirmed the officer is one of their agents from Hudson Valley, New York.
It is not illegal for ICE agents to wear masks or disguises, but it is a point of ethical controversy.
Fonseca Tapia said Brewster Police and officers from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office later arrived at the church parking lot. He said other members of his rapid response team also arrived.
After local police talked with the ICE agents, Fonseca Tapia said they asked him to leave and all law enforcement officers dispersed.
Brewster Police and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office did not respond for comment by the time of the publication of this story.
In a written statement to WTNH, ICE officials said their officers were conducting surveillance in the area that morning.
“Anti-ICE agitators followed them and attempted to disrupt their operation presenting a safety concern for the officers, the community and even the agitators themselves,” the statement said. “These anti-ICE agitators should be more concerned with the public safety threat they present while disrupting federal law enforcement operations than whatever personal satisfaction they derive from harassing our officers.”
Juliana Soares, a leader with Greater Danbury Unites for Immigrants, disputed the idea that the activists presented a safety concern. She said their group operates as a form of neighborhood watch, so their priority is the safety of their community.
“We're members of our community that are keeping an eye out,” Soares said. “Since the people and the community are the only things that are really stepping up to help us, we are trying to just spread the word out as soon as we see that.”
A first for Greater Danbury Rapid Response
Fonseca Tapia said the experience was “pretty terrifying.”
“This was the first time that we witnessed ICE impersonating literally the people that they are kidnapping,” Fonseca Tapia said.
Soares' first thought was, “On a Saturday morning? What, like, what is happening?”
Soares said it left her feeling disgusted.
“Who are you really targeting that you have to dress up as a construction worker to pick up people that are just working, you know?” Soares said. “So it was this mix of shock and anger and disbelief at the lengths that they're going to just torment workers.”
In talking to some friends in Massachusetts, Soares said she learned this technique has already been seen in their home state.
“They weren't surprised at all when I showed them [the video]... but it is new for us, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing,” Soares said.
‘We are the line of defense’
According to Fonseca Tapia, the experience underscored the importance for him to continue to do the work he does with Greater Danbury Unites for Immigrants.
“The only thing that we have right now is us. Nobody else is coming to save us, and we are the only ones that can keep us safe,” Fonseca Tapia said.
Soares said she and her fellow advocates want to raise awareness, not only so Connecticut’s undocumented residents are aware, but so more allies that are citizens and able to speak out in the community can get involved.
“The people and the community are the only things that are really stepping up to help us,” Soares said.
Fonseca Tapia and Soares are encouraging folks to get involved with their local immigrant advocacy group now that ICE agents are continuing to step up their methods in detaining community members.
“We need everyone right now,” Fonseca Tapia said. “We are the line of defense, nothing else.”
