May 17, 2018 - The Westchester County Human Rights Commission (WCHRC) strongly opposes the overly broad net of arrests cast by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) during their “Operation Keep Safe.” The results of their operations resulted in the targeting of people many of whom are productive members of our communities here in Westchester County.
ICE asserts that 180 of the 225 arrested had convictions or pending charges, some of which were serious or violent offenses. The WCHRC is concerned that “Operation Keep Safe” fails to distinguish minor traffic infractions from felony charges and in that regard is over-inclusive, cruel and inhuman, abruptly separating parents from children, husbands from wives, and pulling families apart. We find the ICE enforcement policies to be contrary to the spirit of human rights and mutual respect and implore ICE and ERO to find a more humane approach.
The WCHRC believes that ICE and ERO enforcement of federal policies in Westchester County have caused great harm to families and community networks across the County. In the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, “We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable net of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
The Westchester County Human Rights Commission seeks to promote dignity and respect by advancing justice and equality for the diverse community of Westchester County.