PALISADES PARK, NJ – On February 7, Korean-speaking and Spanish-speaking volunteers met at the south end of Broad Avenue in Palisades Park to visit businesses together and share information on how to keep employees safe when ICE is in the area. This canvassing effort represented the beginning of a partnership between AAPI NJ, the state’s largest organization advocating for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, One Boat Coalition, and Estamos Unidos, a community defense and mutual aid group that has been responding to near-daily ICE arrests in Palisades Park in recent weeks.
Together, the volunteers visited businesses to speak with owners about their concerns and share resources, stepping forward to speak in Korean, Spanish, or English depending on the need. One Korean American business owner shared that he was very concerned after one of his Hispanic/Latino employees was taken by ICE as he got off the bus; others expressed similar fears for their employees or described how much business has declined in recent weeks. Volunteers shared flyers with information on rapid response hotlines and rights during encounters with ICE in Korean , English, and Spanish, as well as tips like designating a room marked “Private – For Employees Only” and locking up when ICE is known to be in the area. Some business owners expressed interest in joining a group chat so that they could share information and support each other more easily.
“Our goal is to educate and support our community members, including local businesses on how to collectively protect their community,” said organizer Shelsea [last name redacted] of Estamos Unidos. Communities like Palisades Park are bieng deeply affected by daily ICE activity, and our neighbors are left traumatized and feeling the impact every day. We aim to educate businesses on their rights and how to safeguard themselves, their employees, and their customers. By coming together and unifying our voices, we are building a community-led movement rooted in solidarity from community members committed to protecting one another.”
“With multiple teams of ICE agents roaming around Bergen County, it has never been more crucial for our Korean- and Spanish-speaking communities to come together,” said Amber Reed, Co-Executive Director of AAPI NJ. “We are deeply grateful for the work Estamos Unidos has done in Palisades Park to deter ICE and support impacted community members, and are excited to work in solidarity together to ensure our communities stand strong together to protect the people we love.”
“The surge of ICE presence in our community has harmed public transit riders, small business operators, parents, and workers alike — all our neighbors, regardless of ethnicity, language, or immigration status,” said Sungkwan Jang of the One Boat Coalition. “The intimidation tactics have hurt the local economy and made our neighborhood less safe. We are rolling up our sleeves and hitting the streets. We look forward to welcoming more community members to these efforts in solidarity.”
The outing was the first of joint efforts planned by Estamos Unidos, AAPI NJ, and One Boat Coalition. The group plans to do more outreach along Broad Avenue and share a safety kit with local businesses including signs for their doors and private spaces; distribute Know Your Rights information to community members; and expand the rapid response network in Palisades Park.
AAPI NJ recently posted the first of a planned series of Korean-language videos to its YouTube channel on responding to ICE raids; Asian Americans in need of legal referrals, aid, or other forms of support are invited to email advocacy@aapinewjersey.org or call/text 973-298-0966 in Korean or English for assistance. Additional resources on immigrant rights for AAPI communities may be found at: https://aapinewjersey.org/resources/immigrants-rights/.
Additional resources on immigrant rights for AAPI communities may be found at: https://aapinewjersey.org/resources/immigrants-rights/.
