BRENTWOOD, N.Y. — Fire chiefs are pushing back against Assemblyman Phil Ramos after he protested ICE’s use of a Long Island firehouse parking lot.
The protest, held on July 6, followed a July 3 incident in which ICE agents staged at the Brentwood Fire Department’s Broadway location, which is in a predominantly Latino neighborhood, Patch.com reported.
After a video allegedly showing ICE agents at the fire department began circulating online, State Sen. Monica Martinez confirmed their presence on Friday, stating, “I have received several calls from constituents voicing their concerns regarding the reported presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel at one of the Brentwood firehouses.”
In response to Ramos speaking at the July 6 protest on department property, the East Brentwood Fire Department revoked his “honorary chief” title. Patch reached out to both Ramos and the East Brentwood Fire Department for comment, but neither was immediately available.
“At no time did the Brentwood Fire District or Brentwood Fire Department have any knowledge or allow any law enforcement agency to use the firehouse parking lot,” the fire district told the New York Post in a statement. “We were never contacted by any federal, state or local law enforcement agency or any other branch of government regarding the use of any parking lot at any fire district location.”
Department leaders said in a statement on social media that Ramos’ public protest “placed an unfair and dangerous spotlight on our volunteer brothers and sisters... and endangered the safety and reputation of those who serve selflessly and without political motive.”
Community group Islip Forward joined the July 6 protest, with Executive Director Ahmad Perez telling Patch the fire commissioners “have both the authority and the obligation to end this.”
Perez said Islip Forward is calling on the Brentwood Fire District Board of Commissioners to take the following actions:
- Issue a formal directive prohibiting any non-emergency federal use of Brentwood Fire District facilities and parking lots.
- Publicly confirm compliance with that directive so residents can regain confidence in their stations.
- Engage the community at the next board meeting to explain how they will prevent future misuse of district property.
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