Update 1: Neighbors will be assembling at the landbank park site at 35th Ave NE and NE 86th Street at 7PM tonight to be in community. All are welcome.
Update 2: A GoFundMe page has been established to Help Alberto Fight His Immigration Case. According to the GoFundMe page, Alberto is a DACA beneficiary who has been living in the US since 1995 and is a father of 3. He has been working as a painter and contractor.
Under the “Wedgwood Welcomes All” banners that line 35th Ave NE in Wedgwood and across from the landbank park site that played host to George Floyd protests, 6 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials (5 of which were masked) extracted a man from his vehicle and detained him in an unmarked truck before hauling him away. The man, Alberto, stated that he is a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) resident before an ICE agent reached into his vehicle, unlocked his door, and removed him. It is unclear whether ICE agents had a warrant to remove Alberto from his vehicle.
It wasn’t clear if anyone in our community knew Alberto, but like the signs in our community state, Wedwood does welcome all. We hope Alberto and his family are provided the rights and due process they are due. We understand that nearby residents and business owners have been in contact with his family and immigration attorneys.
This event was truly disturbing for those who witnessed it, including myself. The actual incident took approximately 20 minutes, but the community coalesced quickly and did what little we could to protect Alberto and support him through this. Thank you for showing up Wedgwood. Blessings to Alberto.
I was there this morning as well. Wondering if the neighborhood might want to gather in the park across from where it happened. Be of support, lean on each other, maybe figure out how to continue to help Alberto and his family. I would be happy to offer some grounding and nervous system support, as a massage therapist and energy worker.
This morning was indeed awful, but maybe a wake up call to those who never thought such would come to our neighborhood.
Some of the screamed suggestions to the person whisked away, if followed, could get him in more trouble.
This is from the Mayors office whom I spoke to this morning. Calling the cops isnt an option.
Challenge with this is the word “dispatched.’ Calling them does not trigger a guranteed response.
From the Mayor. Mandated that Seattle Police officers dispatched to reports of immigration enforcement must verify agent identification, document the interaction with body-worn and in-car video, and secure scenes to gather evidence.” #2. Police Guild Opposition: The Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) pushed back against the directives, labeling them political theater and stating union members should not be utilized as political pawns or pitted directly against federal law enforcement.
Policy Debates: Critics and union leadership argued that requiring officers to intervene or check federal IDs risks hazardous conflicts and sidelines local police from standard public safety duties, while the mayor’s administration maintains that local law enforcement will uphold “Welcoming City” expectations without acting as de facto immigration officers.
When this happens onlookers should try to get his name and phone info like one person did. Take video calling out the time stamp and location. Then call this info into the Washington Immigration Solidarity Network (WAISN). They try to follow these cases to provide support. It’s horrifying to witness.
We are gathering at 7 PM this evening at the park. Does anyone have chalk?
I was there, and I am in the video voicing my concerns. I videotaped the incident too. I asked him if he was an American citizen, and he said he was here due to DACA. I was very disturbed by these men in masks. It’s illegal to wear masks in Washington. It’s also illegal to drive a vehicle with no license plate. These men were breaking the law and need to be arrested. It was heartbreaking to see this happen in our community. WE are better than this. We need to unite against ICE and stop this from happening.
Hello, I appreciated the gathering last night. Will there be an update soon? I belong to two organizations that might be able to provide Alberto with some financial support, but I didn’t get names or contact info for the organizers, and especially would like to be in touch with the person who was able to reach his family/friends to see if she wants to convey this.
I did some phoning around this week to chase down the “no mask” rule in WA.
It’s kind of a hollow law…
Firstly—State law cannot supersede Federal Law. Our “no mask” law was written as a civil offense – not as an arrestable or enforceable criminal offense.
This allows for a harassed or arrested person to sue the masked offenders in civil court.
The police cannot do anything about the masks.
thanks for the clarification–good sleuthing!
Free Constitutional Observers training based on ACLU -WA for recording ICE or CBP interactions. Offered by Seattle Indivisible and Indivisible Eastside. Virtual or In Person training. 1 hour + Q&A This 1-hour basic class will show you what to do if you happen to see immigration enforcement activity. It’s like taking CPR training: you hope you’ll never need it, but it’s good to know what to do in case of an emergency.
Topics include:
The role and responsibilities of a Constitutional Observer
Key constitutional rights relevant to observation and documentation
How to use the V.I.D.E.O. framework for clear, consistent reporting
How to identify immigration agents
Best practices for personal safety and non-interference
This training was developed by Indivisible Eastside, Seattle Indivisible and West Seattle Indivisible, with support from ACLU-WA and WAISN.
Find lots of dates and times at Mobilize via this link:
tinyurl.com/COTrainings