Two hours of ICE activity spreads fear and rumors

By MARTIN WILBUR

Fear spread throughout Mount Kisco on Wednesday after the presence of U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seen looking to arrest an individual on a federal judicial warrant.

Mayor J. Michael Cindrich confirmed on Thursday that the operation started in the morning on Feb. 4 on Lexington Avenue near the entrance to Oakwood Cemetery. Cindrich said he learned of the activity around 10 a.m. from witnesses and others in the community who relayed what they had seen or heard. It is unclear whether the agents, who were observed stopping cars, apprehended the individual they were looking for or who that person was.

ICE was reportedly in the village Wednesday for less than two hours. Even so, the incident caused panic in the community, Cindrich said. 

“By the time I got the information, the ICE agents had already left the village, but the hysteria continued all day,” Cindrich said.

During the past year since the Trump administration launched a crackdown on people who are in the country illegally, Cindrich said he was aware of only a few previous instances of ICE activity. Each involved attempts by federal agents to execute a criminal judicial warrant, the mayor said.

Cindrich stressed that the Westchester County Department of Public Safety did not help ICE in its search this week and abides by Westchester County’s 2018 Immigrant Protection Act. The law, which was approved by the Board of Legislators, details that the county police do not get involved in enforcing federal immigration law, but investigates criminal matters. 

“People can understand that the county police were not reacting to ICE and assisting them in any way to enforce immigration laws,” he said.

Mount Kisco has a large immigrant population of its nearly 11,000 residents. About 40% of residents were born outside the U.S., many of them from Latin America.

Bedford Central School District Superintendent Robert Glass sent an email late Wednesday afternoon to families about the enforcement action. His communication aimed to assure parents that the district has clear protocols addressing potential interactions with ICE agents.

“We are actively communicating with our local police departments and the Westchester County Executive’s office,” the superintendent’s message stated. “Our goal is to both confirm and have accurate, timely information regarding any ICE activity in our area so that we can continue to do our best in serving our children and families. Your trust and partnership are invaluable to us.”

Cindrich dispelled rumors about ICE agents conducting searches throughout the village.

“The rumor was that they were going door to door, and in the business district were forcing their way in, which was absolutely untrue and embellished,” Cindrich said.

“I don’t care if you’re 50 years old or 12 years old, you turn on the television and you see what’s going on in Minneapolis and you react to it,” he added. “So, if ICE agents are in the community, the sense of fear is going to prevail. I mean it’s a tragedy.”