The detention of the Salisbury mother by immigration agents draws sharp rebuke and raises questions about any future local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Host Don Rush looks at the arrest and some of the local political reaction. The full story can be heard on Friday's Delmarva Today at noon on WSDL and WESM or on our website at www.delmarvapubicmedia.org.
RUSH: 24-year-old Vanessa Parrazal suddenly found herself surrounded by immigration agents as she dropped off her daughter at the Pinehurst Elementary School in Salisbury on Wednesday morning. This is Don Rush. At least six agents jumped out and surrounded her vehicle demanding that she get out of the car, which was caught on a cell phone and posted by Elizabeth Watkins.
ICE AGENT: "Open the door now. Stop, Ma'am."
RUSH: The incident escalated with the agents eventually smashing the windows of the vehicle and removing her from the car. As this confrontation was taking place, Watkins continued to call for them to stop leading to this encounter with one of the agents.
WATKINS: "Guys, please stop this... I know her. She's my neighbor."
ICE AGENT: "Get back ma'am, please get back."
WATKINS: "I can get back. I am keeping my distance, but this is, she's my neighbor!"
ICE AGENT: "She is illegal and she has aggravated charges!"
WATKINS: "No, she doesn't. She doesn't have any charges, guys. She has no charges. I know her personally."
RUSH: Later, Parrazals' sister-in-law, Sophia Livingston, told WMDT that this was part of a custody battle in which she alleged the husband had called the immigration authorities. Watkins posted on her Facebook page that Parrazal had arrived in the country at the age of two, [and has] been her daughter's sole caretaker. Meanwhile, the Wicomico County Public School system said it was aware of the incident, but also noted that the detention did not take place on school property. That there was no disruption of school operations. Former Mayor Jake Day was walking his dog in the area at the time. While he arrived about 15 minutes afterward, he said he was appalled by what had happened.
DAY: It's unnerving to think that there are people lurking around in the shadows waiting to snatch somebody off the street. I don't know the details, but it certainly seems that it was unnecessarily cruel in its' execution, taking a parent right after they dropped their kid off at school. I think once again, this is an example of how we should not operate. We can operate with humanity and dignity for people, and this is un-American. It's just in no way bears any relationship to the values of the United States of America.
RUSH: Wicomico County and the mayor of Salisbury have been looking at the 287 G program that would allow local law enforcement to engage with immigration agents. Council member Michelle Gregory has been a strong opponent of the program and said the incident brought home its dangers. So
GREGORY: I first heard about it on social media, like a lot of people, and it was horrific. I mean, the visual was the photograph of the car windows smashed out and it really was a very visceral thing to come across and find out about.
RUSH: So in terms of this impact then on the community, I mean we've obviously been talking a bit about law enforcement cooperating. What's your own sense about if we sort of draw back from this?
GREGORY: We had the county executive, and particularly the mayor, pushing for this 287 G agreement with ICE. And I think that that just emboldened them to come in here. And I think that this is a time to look back at that and say this was a realization of the fears that many of the folks who protested and spoke out against it had. And I really think that this is a time to reflect and say, look, this was what we were afraid of.
RUSH: Salsbury City council member Michelle Gregory on the detention of Vanessa Parrazal by immigration agents while she was dropping off her daughter at the Pinehurst Elementary School. The full story can be heard on this Friday's Delmarva Today at noon on WSDL and WESM. This is Don Rush for Delmarva Public Media.
