The area of Witherspoon Street closest to the University is home to some of Princeton's most expensive restaurants and stores. But less than a quarter mile away exists a neighborhood many students and tourists have never encountered.
This neighborhood was the backdrop of a recent raid by immigration officials, sparking fear in the community and a rally this weekend.
Eight men living in an apartment building on Witherspoon Street were arrested Oct. 13 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers for having illegal immigrant status.
In response to the raid, the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund has planned a march in Tiger Park on Nassau Street from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. Saturday to advocate immigration reform.
Since the raid, community activist and owner of Pelusa Travel on Withersoon Street, Raul Calvimontes, and his partner, Rosa Herrera, have spoken with the eight incarcerated immigrants almost daily.
And they say that the immigrants have been subjected to harsh conditions in detention.
"They walk around chained 24 hours [a day]," Calvimontes said. "It makes me angry because we are not animals."
Representatives for ICE did not return phone calls seeking comment. And Borough Police say they had control over the raid.
Raids like this put local police between "a rock and a hard place," Borough Councilman Andrew Martindell said.
While there are longstanding traditions of cooperation between law enforcement organizations, and on the other, he said a strong trust between local citizens and law enforcement is essential to maintain public safety.
When officers from ICE, the largest investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security, raided the Witherspoon Street apartment, they were forceful and called the men "garbage," Herrera said.
"Some people in the apartment were sleeping," she said. "One of the [officers] put a flashlight in the face of a sleeping person and said 'Let's go cucaracha.'"
Calvimontes said he thinks the relationship between the Princeton Borough Police and the Latino immigrant community is tense.
"Hispanic people here are scared," he said. "They're scared because of the police."
Immigration attorney Ryan Lilienthal has appealed to community residents to reform local conditions.
Lilienthal said the distrust between Hispanic residents and the Borough Police has grown as a result of incidents in which police have aided ICE in tracking down illegal immigrants.
"The concern is when ICE seeks police and the police comply," he said. "This undermines the primary mission of public safety."
Police appear to want to avoid tensions, saying that there is no need for police at the rally Saturday.
"Police might be giving some assistance for traffic," Borough Police Lt. Dennis McManimon said.
In response to the situation, Lilienthal has drafted an ordinance on behalf of the Hispanic community that includes guidelines for proper police response to incidents.
While no date has been set for discussion of the ordinance, the council will discuss on Nov. 9 a resolution condemning the manner in which the the ICE conducted the recent raid.
Lilienthal said he believes the Council will take an active role in response to the raid. He said he hopes the ordinanxe will provide the Council one way to respond.
While Martindell said that he personally supported the idea of creating guidelines for local law enforcement, he said he believes feelings on the Council are mixed on the issue.
But many members of the Hispanic community remain concerned. Silvia Mejin, a cashier at La Mexicana Grocery and Fruit on Witherspoon Street, said, "I feel frightened of what might happen at any time."
In the aftermath of the October arrests, employees at restaurants on Witherspoon and Hulfish streets, many of whom are Hispanic, did not go to work Monday after rumors of a possible raid spread through the Hispanic community, Calvimontes said.
Juan Gonzalez '06, president of Princeton's Chicano Caucus, said he believes the treatment of the illegal immigrants in the town's Hispanic community is an issue that requires attention and affects students on campus.
"Many of us are children or ourselves immigrants and in the process of attaining residency, and such blatant disregard for the rights, concerns, wellbeing of our community is pretty concerning," Gonzalez said.
Calvimontes and Herrera moved to Princeton seven years ago with high hopes.
"I thought we'd be respected here, but we are not, even though this is a nice town," he said.
Last summer, the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund organized a march from Palmer Square to Princeton Borough Hall.
Calvimontes said immigrants did not attend the event because they were fearful of police action at the event.
However, a second march will occur this Saturday in support of the immigration reform ordinance.
Gonzalez is hoping that students will get involved, sending an email to members of the Chicano Caucus urging them to attend.
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