Vigil held for Good, those lost to ICE custody

Approximately 100 people gathered at a vigil in Railroad Green on Jan. 11 to remember the life of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, who was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis, and the 32 people who died under immigration detention last year.

During the vigil, mourners observed a five-minute moment of silence, with some holding candles and flowers. Attendees gathered around a display featuring a portrait of Good and the names of people who died in ICE custody, taking a moment to reflect and pay their respects. Some attendees held signs displaying messages of solidarity for those lost and expressions of discontent over the federal law enforcement agency’s latest actions.

The vigil, organized by members of Indivisible Hudson Valley, is one of several nationwide “ICE Out For Good” events held over the weekend.

Mary Driesch, a Warwick resident and organizer, said that she and her colleagues organized the event in response to “the unnecessary killing of citizens in our country.” She voiced concern over the state of the nation’s democracy, which she believes is slipping into a dictatorship.

“We’re human beings, we’re brothers and sisters, and we’re neighbors,” Driesch said. “We have to just care for each other and that is not happening, and our government is not doing that. I fear for our future if we don’t all stand up.”

According to the Associated Press, Good dropped her six-year-old son off at elementary school prior to encountering the group of ICE agents on a residential street. Videos show federal officers demanding that Good open her car door before two shots were fired at point-blank range while the vehicle was moving.

Minneapolis leaders said that Good was acting as a legal observer, monitoring and documenting federal operations in the city. That role resonated with many attendees at the vigil, including Warwick resident Catherine Cannariato.

“She could be me,” Cannariato said. “I stand up and try to watch and see what’s going on. I’m not someone who’s going to agitate or interfere with an arrest, but I’m there to witness. She could be any of us just bearing witness that they decide they’re going to shoot.”

Following the shooting, Trump administration officials, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, labeled Good as a “domestic terrorist” who attempted to weaponize her vehicle against the federal agents.

But many attendees rebuked the administration’s characterization of the shooting, citing bystander videos and eyewitness accounts.

“I think it’s reckless,” Don Kilcoyne, a Warwick resident, said. “Kristi Noem proves over and over again that she’s breathtakingly unqualified for that position...She leaps to conclusions about people with absolutely no investigation, and she needs to be impeached.”

As attendees gathered to commemorate the life of Good and the dozens of individuals who died in ICE custody nationwide, they also assembled to express their opposition against enforcement operations close to home.

According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, a draft solicitation revealed ICE’s plan to turn 23 warehouses into large-scale detention centers or smaller processing sites to accelerate their deportation operations. One of the potential processing sites includes the former Pep Boys Warehouse in the Village of Chester. The site is expected to hold up to 1,500 people.

In response to the report, Rep. Pat Ryan took to social media, calling the proposal “disgusting, infuriating, & UNAMERICAN.” He also criticized ICE for not consulting with local leaders on the matter.

“I appreciate that there’s already been sentiment from some local officials saying that they don’t want it,” Jerry Sander, a Warwick resident, said. “I don’t think it’s wanted by the people of the Hudson Valley or the people of New York State, so I’m optimistic that it won’t happen.”

Like many attendees, Cannariato hopes gatherings like the vigil can serve as a spark for change. She urged more people to join and speak out against ICE and the current administration.

“We stand together because what they want is fear,” Cannariato said. “They want us to cower at home, so coming out together shows that we are a community that stands together. We also need our elected representatives to see us all standing peacefully to understand that this isn’t right and that they need to do something.”