Democratic clubs across Nassau County are organizing a coordinated peaceful rally later this month to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, local leaders said.
Claudia Borecky, president of the Bellmore Merrick American Democratic Club, said the rally — scheduled for 11 a.m. Feb. 21 — will span from Valley Stream to Massapequa along Sunrise Highway, with participating clubs stationed at train stations and other public points. The Bellmore Merrick club will gather at the Merrick Long Island Rail Road station.
“This is bigger than anything we’ve done before,” Borecky said. “It’s most of the clubs in the area — stepping up to show solidarity with immigrant families who are living in fear.”
The protest comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE after the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, by an ICE agent in January — a shooting that has stirred national outrage and widespread protests. Good, a U.S. citizen, was shot and killed during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, drawing solidarity rallies in cities from Boston to San Francisco and congressional hearings on use of force by federal officers.
The heightened attention comes not long after the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident killed during federal immigration enforcement operations, which has also sparked nationwide protests and calls for accountability.
Borecky said local rallies in Nassau County are meant to “give a face to immigrant communities” and bring attention to how enforcement actions affect families, businesses and public safety.
According to independent analysis of federal data by FactCheck.org, roughly 43 percent of people detained by ICE as of January 2026 had no criminal conviction or pending charge, while TRAC Immigration Project statistics show that nearly 74 percent of those in ICE detention in late 2025 lacked a criminal conviction.
“Our communities are hurt by these raids,” Borecky said. “Local stores that cater to immigrant residents have closed. People are afraid to go to work; call the police or shop at the places they love.”
Speakers at the rally plan to highlight economic impacts on small businesses and argue that cooperation between local police and ICE undermines trust in law enforcement, Borecky said.
The call for action in Nassau follows a candlelight vigil last month in Freeport honoring Good, where hundreds gathered to remember her life and warn that immigrant families on Long Island “are living in fear” amid stepped-up enforcement. The vigil was organized by Freeport resident Hazel Leon, founder of the advocacy group Así Vamos NY, and Borecky with the South Shore Women’s Alliance.
Borecky said the local “rapid response” network — modeled in part on community groups that track and alert neighbors to ICE activity — has grown in recent weeks. Activists carry whistles and quickly converge when agents are spotted to draw public attention.
Critics of increased enforcement contend ICE operations have contributed to a climate of fear that hampers community policing and safety. Borecky said local police forces risk losing the trust of immigrant residents when routine interactions become linked to federal immigration actions.
A counterprotest has also been announced. Organizers of a caravan titled “We Love ICE” said participants will gather at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 21 in the Bellmore Long Island Rail Road parking lot, according to a flyer circulating on social media. The flyer includes a statement reading, “We are activists too. We are pros at this. We are unafraid and protected by God.”
Concerns over the broader political climate have also surfaced among local residents.
“I’m deeply worried about the direction our country is heading,” wrote John Gonzalez of Bellmore in a recent letter to the editor. “Both political parties seem more focused on fighting each other than listening to everyday Americans, and it feels like the divisions are growing wider instead of smaller.”
“We want transparency and accountability, both here locally and on the federal level,” Borecky said. “Families shouldn’t live in fear of being torn apart.”
