Concerns grow in Norristown, Pennsylvania, after ICE arrests 14 undocumented immigrants at supermarket
Concerns are growing in the Hispanic community after Wednesday's ICE raid at a Norristown, Pennsylvania, supermarket ended with 14 undocumented immigrants arrested.
Sharon Williams, who lives in Norristown, visited Super Gigante at the West Norriton Farmers Market the day after the raid on Thursday to shop and also show her support for her immigrant neighbors.
"It's just very disappointing," Williams said. "We are very upset here in the greater Norristown area that we've been targeted, that our community and our immigrant community is being targeted."
According to federal officials, agents were at the supermarket to execute a search warrant for 14 people, who they said did not have legal status to be in the United States.
Ultimately, 14 undocumented immigrants were arrested, including six Mexican nationals, according to the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia.
Residents said the raids are making people uneasy regardless of their immigration status.
"Folks who are full citizens either by birth or naturalized citizens have to be on edge because all you have to do is look the part," Williams said.
Community advocacy groups in Montgomery County believe these raids are going to continue with ICE agents targeting spaces such as churches, schools, or, as on Wednesday, a supermarket.
"People aren't going out to go get groceries," Andi Laudisio, with the nonprofit Indivisible Montgomery County PA and Friends, said. "People are nervous to show up to court because they are being snatched from court. So it's affected everyday life for all of our community members."
Laudisio and her work with the advocacy group involves monitoring ICE activity in the area.
She was also at the raid at the supermarket after seeing who she believed were ICE agents gathering at a movie theater parking lot earlier Wednesday morning.
"ICE is intentionally targeting people on their way to work, on their way home from work, to schools, to graduations," she said. "These are not where criminals are hanging out."
Laudisio and others have worked to give people a heads up about ICE activity in the area, but she believes the state needs to do more to help protect immigrant families.
Laudisio said if people in power won't step up to help, the community will.
"Who is going to do something? Not the government, not the police. It has to be the citizens," she said.
