‘Fight back against this fascism:’ Council Member Avilés calls on New Yorkers to ‘organize’ against ICE

Council Member Alexa Avilés implored New Yorkers on Friday to stand in defense of local immigrants as ICE enforcement operations ramp up across the country.

The call to action came at an anti-ICE rally on the steps of City Hall on Jan. 16 that saw the Chair of the Committee on Immigration demand residents protest against federal officers.

“We know that New York City is an immigrant city with a population of almost 40% immigrants. This harm that is being brought by this rogue agency is not only economically destabilizing our country, it is upending our democracy, and we need everyone to fight back against this fascism,” Avilés charged. “I am so proud to stand here with these New Yorkers and implore all my fellow New Yorkers to organize, to protect your neighbors, because this is only the beginning, and when we see that militarization is occurring and is violent against not only US citizens, but anyone that comes in its path.”

Fellow Council Member Julie Won also stood alongside Avilés, religious leaders, and advocates, where she also denounced ICE activity in New York and the impact it has had on immigrant families.

The event, organized by Hands Off NYC, Vocal-NY, and more, aimed to not only denounce ICE but also condemn President Trump for what they cite as continued escalation against the immigrant community and the protesters, including the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month.Photo by Dean Moses

“We’ve had countless cases day after day that walk into my office and say: ‘Please, my child has been going to school here for the last three years, we want to stay, please. I’m a US citizen, but my mother is not. Will you help me find a way?’ We have to see the humanity in those who make up our economy,” Won said. “Enough is enough. We will protect ourselves against any fascist government. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, is not my president, and we will continue to fight, as elected officials on the state level, on the city level, to say this is a sanctuary city, and everybody has the right to be here.”

The event, organized by Hands Off NYC, Vocal-NY, and more, aimed to not only denounce ICE but also condemn President Trump for what they cite as continued escalation against the immigrant community and the protesters, including the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month. Standing beside those holding signs reading “fight fascism,” Hannah Stauss of Hands Off NYC echoed Avilés in a call to action.

“We all heard the poem that they came after the immigrants, and you didn’t stand up because you weren’t one. Well, they’re also going after the mothers. They’re going after the neighbors. They’re going after the people driving down the street. Authoritarians follow the same playbook every time,” Stauss said.