Wooster residents rally against ICE involvement

Forty-five Wooster community members demonstrated outside Wooster City Hall in support of their immigrant neighbors, and eight members expressed their views in the Wooster City Council meeting March 2. This was the kickoff event for Wooster Advocacy Group’s “De-ICE Wooster” campaign, which organizers say is intended to urge local representatives not to use local resources for federal immigration enforcement, especially given the recent increase in ICE activity across the country.

The demonstrators lined the sidewalk outside City Hall, holding signs like “No Human Is Illegal” and “ICE OUT.” The group of community members included students, retirees, local immigration attorneys and advocates.

Attorney Brian Hoffman addressed the crowd and said, “When the law stops protecting the most vulnerable among us, they stop protecting all of us. Just because we might not be immigrants ourselves doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also be terrified by this.”

Some of the participants came to the event because of concerns about the safety of their immigrant neighbors. Some came to encourage city council and the mayor to ensure that Wooster would continue to be welcoming and safe for all residents.

“It’s important to use my privilege and voice to acknowledge the fear that some members of our community are feeling," Abby Fisher said.

In light of the escalation of ICE tactics in other cities across the country, several people who made public comments in the city council meeting urged the council to pass an ordinance that affirms Wooster will not use local resources to support federal immigration actions.

Dustin Huntsberger asked council to “pass a resolution to make our stance concrete. So that when or if ICE shows up, they have to use their own resources, not ours.”

Another central request to council and the mayor was for them to hold a town hall meeting open to all residents, where concerns about ICE and immigration enforcement could be shared and acted on by the city.

This public campaign also encourages community residents to reach out to their Ohio state representatives because a number of state bills are being considered that would require local resources to be used to support Department of Homeland Security activities, such as using Wooster jail cells for holding immigrants. The state representatives for Wooster residents are Rep. Meredith Craigh (614-466-1474) and Sen. Al Landis (614-466-5838).

The Wooster Advocacy Group’s “De-ICE Wooster” campaign is organizing community members to make public comments at the March 16 and April 6 city council meetings (7 p.m. each day) and the Wayne County Commissioners meeting at 9 a.m. March 11 at 428 W. Liberty St.

Contact Wooster Advocacy at woosteradvocacy@gmail.com to participate.