Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration Ice Contract topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Islip to end ICE training at town rifle range; council declines to take immediate action
Summary
Dozens of residents told the Islip Town Board they fear Immigration and Customs Enforcement gents training at a town rifle range, urging the board to terminate a contract that commenters say "terrorizes" immigrant communities; a last-minute effort to put a suspension resolution before the board failed for lack of a second.
Dozens of residents told the Islip Town Board on the town ugust meeting public-comment agenda that the town should end its agreement permitting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use a taxpayer-funded rifle range for training.
Speakers across the political and demographic spectrum described fear in immigrant neighborhoods, cited local deportations and raids, and asked the board to cancel the contract that allows ICE to train on town property. "I'm asking you to consider discontinuing your agreement with Department of Homeland Security that allows ICE to practice in our rifle range," said Brenda Gells, who identified herself as a town resident. Kenneth Cologne told the board that the town receives roughly "$12,000 a year from this contract" and urged members to cancel it: "It's not worth it."
Other commenters supplied personal stories and local examples. William Marquart said two local brothers were detained and deported March 14 despite long ties to the community, and described constituents who wanted the town to take a stand. Susan Steinman compared current tactics to historical abuses and said the public facility should not be used in a way that "terrorizes our community." Several immigrant-rights and civic organizations—including Make the Road, the North Islip Democratic Club, and Long Island Immigrant Justice Alliance—also urged severing ties.
Councilman [name withheld by transcript] read a proposed resolution to suspend ICE access to the rifle range pending remedial action, but a procedural motion to waive rules and bring the resolution to a vote failed for lack of a second. The supervisor and other members did not put the suspension resolution on the agenda for immediate consideration; no formal vote to end the contract was taken at the meeting.
The town clerk earlier confirmed the rifle range has been permitted for DHS use for many years. Opponents said changes in federal enforcement practices and recent local detentions make continued access unacceptable; proponents of the existing arrangement did not have a floor presentation during the public-comment period documented in the transcript.
What happens next: the public portion closed after about 35 speakers, and the board continued through its remaining agenda. The suspension resolution read by a council member did not advance because the motion to relax rules failed, so the contract remains in place pending any future action the board chooses to take.
