Bethlehem residents demand action after ICE raid at 510 Flats; call for 'welcoming city' ordinance

Dozens of Bethlehem residents urged the City Council to act after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained 17 people at a work site near 510 Flats last week, calling the operation a raid and an abduction and pressing local officials to adopt stronger protections for immigrant residents.

Speakers at the public-comment portion of the meeting said the federal enforcement event has left families fearful, criticized the timing of public comment late in the meeting and urged the council, Mayor Reynolds and the Bethlehem Police Department to take concrete steps — including adopting a welcoming-city ordinance, joining a rapid-response network and ensuring local officers attend or monitor ICE operations.

The public outcry focused on immediate community harm and on policy tools city officials could use. ‘‘What happened last week was not immigration enforcement. It was a raid,’’ said Joel Atkinson, a member of the Lehigh Valley chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Several speakers cited the 17 detained people by number and a local resident, Edwin Sanchez, who a speaker said has been detained since a mandatory check-in in Philadelphia.

Speakers described practical next steps they want from city…