Flatbush Councilman Urges Calm After Rumors Of Mass ICE Arrests

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — Flatbush Councilman Jumaane Williams is urging New Yorkers to remain calm in the wake of rumors that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had conducted large-scale arrests targeting locations in Brooklyn, including Bobby's Department Store in Flatbush.

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"My staff and I have followed up on as many of the rumors as we can," Williams said in a Friday statement. "We have spoken to owners of the commuter van lines, as well as the management at Bobby's Department Store, and have confirmed that at this time there have not been general indiscriminate stops made by ICE agents over the past few days. There has however, been incidents of people posing as immigration officials in efforts to scam people for money."

"We ask everyone to make an effort to substantiate information before spreading as rumors," Williams continued. The councilman asked those concerned about ICE activity to pass whatever information they can safely and legally obtain to his staff by emailing vandre@council.nyc.gov.

"You should also call your local precinct as [suspicious individuals] may be ICE impersonators looking to scam unsuspecting people," Williams wrote. "The NYPD is not currently working with immigration officials, and as policy does not randomly ask people about their immigration status."

Top image courtesy of Michael Fleshman on Flickr