by In solidarity of Blue Wong, a lifelong activist and US citizen who was arrested by ICE earlier this month, dozens of people gathered Thursday morning.
After an ICE operation in Linda Vista, Wong was taken into custody on July 2. Wong was one of three U.S. citizens arrested in the event.
In an effort to level the playing field, Wong chose not to reveal her first name. She doesn’t know anything about the officers that held her.
The day’s video shows Blue butting up against the caution tape around the incident while standing in front of ICE officers with her hands clasped in front of her.
Then, suddenly, she is seized by police and hauled away.
Legislators have argued that ICE lacks the jurisdiction to detain or arrest U.S. residents, a fact that is not mentioned on ICE’s website. Indeed, on Tuesday, a resolution was presented to the U.S. Senate to reiterate this view.
I’ve realized that, while I have a duty to not give in to my fear, I also have a duty to use this opportunity to encourage others to fight and stand up. Following her hearing, Wong remarked, “That’s how I’m feeling right now.”
Wong was initially unaware of her whereabouts on the day she was arrested. Her relatives and friends were not informed. She claimed that while in solitary confinement, she sang and only agreed to keep silent when her wife was called. She claimed that unlike ICE, Wong kept her word and remained silent for the rest of the evening after the agent placed the call.
None of them had badge numbers, none of them had names, none of them had a clear uniform, none of them had vehicles that said who they were, but they know everything about me, Wong said.
Before Wong s hearing on Thursday, there was a press conference and rally in support of the Linda Vista Three those detained that day by Homeland Security. Wong entered the courthouse shortly after the press conference, and her supporters did the same. The courtroom was soon full.
The remaining crowd waited in the hallway during the hearing and welcomed Wong at its conclusion.
We’re not here for any kind of demonstration. We re here in support of three people that all of us love. And we just don t agree with how the United States is running the operations that they re conducting on people who are visitors, said human rights advocate Tasha Williamson.
Among the courtroom attendees was Councilmember Raul Campillo. Campillo serves District 7, which contains the Linda Vista neighborhood where Wong was taken into custody.
I was there this morning to observe what my constituents are going through and to see with my own eyes what our federal government is doing to people. Everyone in the United States is innocent until proven guilty. As a former prosecutor, I lived up to and honored that standard especially because I was a member of law enforcement, Campillo said in a statement.
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Wong expressed that the whole experience has been traumatizing, stressful, and, of course, new. From her time in detention to dealing with the publicity and press. But she is not leaning into that fear, and instead speaking up and out.
I feel like we re living in lawless times right now, honestly, so I feel that my voice has to be heard no matter what the cost, because I m in the skin of a colonizer, and with that comes duty, duty to speak out about the atrocities, she said.
The July 2 incident also raised concerns over local law enforcement involvement in immigration raids. UnderCalifornia law, state and local resources and agencies cannot aid in immigration enforcement.
However, the San Diego Police Department was called by HSI on July 2 to the Linda Vista scene. SDPDsaid in a statementthat officers did not help HSI s enforcement, but that they were present to ensure peace and safety for all parties.
