ICE raids Montgomery County business detaining at least a dozen people

Over a dozen detained in Montco ICE raid

ICE agents raided a Montgomery County business Wednesday and witnesses say the agents took more than a dozen people into custody, including employees at a farmers market.

WEST NORRITON, Pa. - It was a difficult and traumatic day in West Norriton which is reeling after Wednesday morning's ICE raid at the Farmers Market. The community came together in the store parking lot hours later to show their support for the detainees and their families at a vigil.

What they're saying:

13-year-old Jose Arroyo spoke from the heart, choking back tears, "It brings me a lot of pain to just see families torn apart for no reason at all. and I don't think it’s fair."

The Farmers Market was raided by ICE agents as it opened Wednesday morning.

Some 75 members of the community held American flags and candles, praying for the employees arrested.

A minister led a prayer, "We ask you to be present with all of those who were taken today. Be with their family. Be with those who had to witness the trauma."

Stephanie Vincent is on the leadership team and told the crowd, I just cannot stand by and let this happen to people in my community."

Timeline:

She was there at the raid recording video as ICE agents, some dressed in full military gear, as they pulled into the parking lot on West Main Street. She stated, "ICE claims they took 14. We have reports up to 23, but at least 14 people were taken from the grocery store, including one man who was shopping. His wife was waiting in the car when he was taken."

Denisse Agurto, the Executive Director of Unides para Servir Norristown, says her heart sunk as she learned the details and magnitude of the raid.

"They started saying more than 20 cars, more than 20 cars. More people is coming. You can feel it in your stomach when something big is going to happen. So awful and frustrating. I didn’t know what we were going to do," she said.

Big picture view:

Those who gathered Wednesday night decided the best way to fight is to stand together, to support each other and to pray. But, the fear in the largely Hispanic community is real and it is every day.

Arryoyo said, "Sometimes I think what would happen. What would I do If something happens to my family. I have two younger brothers that I need to take care of if something happens to them."

The Farmers Market released a statement saying, in part, it has employed many hardworking, responsible, law-abiding members of the immigrant community for years. It is saddened by the actions of ICE and the impact it has on those affected.