Local Advocacy held an “Emergency Barrio Walk” starting on N. 15 St. Photo by Leah Burdick.
Community members in Ybor reported ICE and local law enforcement conducting checkpoints on East Columbus Drive and North Sixteenth Street, last Thursday. In response, local advocacy groups held an “Emergency Barrio Walk” over the weekend to share information about ICE activity in the area.
The Barrio walk was to help inform residents that ICE has been reported nearby and share information on how to identify and report ICE, as well as educate people about their rights.
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Flyer about how to identify ICE vehicles and uniforms. Photo by Leah Burdick
Flyer for local businesses to put at the entrance or in windows. Photo by Leah Burdick
Yunqing Zheng is a member of the Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee.
“There was a checkpoint right by a school in this area. We heard that report from a number of folks. It seems like it started and ended pretty quick, but you know why there is a checkpoint here at all,” Zheng said.
She said people in the area were receptive and took flyers to share with friends and neighbors. Some local businesses took flyers about ICE not being allowed to enter and cards customers can take with information.
Maria Garcia is a member of the Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee.
“I think it’s good for our organization to let people know that it’s like scary times, but they’re not alone, right? We’re actively trying to fight this evil that’s going on,” she said.
Ybor has a diverse culture and participants were saying how this is a community who is vulnerable.
“I feel here is a place where people would need the information , right, and especially there have been recent eye sightings here in this area,” Garcia said.
While passing out flyers in residential areas, a person told Garcia that they heard eight people were detained by ICE last week.
The walk lasted around an hour, and some members of the Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee say they plan to host more frequent barrio walks as reports continue to increase in the area.