On June 3, Elzon Lemus, a 23-year-old electrician from Brentwood, found himself in a situation that has raised serious questions about the practices of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
While on his way to a job site, Lemus was stopped by six unmarked vehicles operated by ICE agents on Union Avenue in Westbury.
According to Lemus, an agent approached his vehicle and persistently requested identification, despite not wearing any recognizable badges or name tags.
When Lemus inquired about their identities, he received no response.
For around 20 to 25 minutes, he was handcuffed and was not permitted to leave the scene for at least an hour.
Before his release, one of the agents suggested that Lemus resembled someone they were searching for, yet failed to specify who that individual was.
This incident prompts critical questions about the authority of ICE agents: Is it acceptable for an agent to stop someone based solely on a perceived likeness to a suspect?
Public sentiment is deeply polarized on the issue of immigration enforcement, particularly within the context of the Trump administration’s policies targeting migrants with criminal records.
However, the implications of detaining a U.S. citizen on their way to work can be troubling.
Lemus’s attorney, Frederick Brewington, voiced concerns over what he describes as racial profiling in these operations, specifically highlighting the troubling pattern of targeting communities of color.
Brewington stated, “There has been a scourge happening in the communities of color and largely with regard to the communities of our Hispanic brothers and sisters that cannot and should not be allowed to continue.”
This incident is not an isolated case within Nassau County.
On June 11, ICE detained four individuals near the Long Island Railroad station in Glen Cove, marking one of five similar actions in the area that week.
Local law enforcement, including the Glen Cove City police, reported that they had received no prior notice about ICE’s actions, and learned of the detentions only after responding to a report of an unrelated assault nearby.
Glen Cove Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck sought to reassure residents, claiming that the individuals targeted were “very bad people” but did not clarify their identities or criminal backgrounds.
This raises critical issues—on what basis does Mayor Panzenbeck label these people as ‘very bad’?
Is there an assumption that all individuals detained by ICE possess a criminal history?
This moment sparks a troubling conversation about public safety versus community trust, especially when considering the high likelihood of detaining innocent individuals.
The issue at hand also reveals a significant lack of transparency surrounding ICE’s operations.
Unlike regular law enforcement, which often publicly outlines arrests and criminal histories, ICE does not consistently disclose information about those they detain.
While ICE does maintain a system for individuals to locate detained persons through their immigration details, it does not openly provide the names of detainees, or the rationale behind their detentions.
In recent years, as the Trump administration has shifted enforcement priorities, the narrative around who qualifies as a target for ICE actions has expanded beyond individuals with criminal records to include those merely lacking documentation, a policy adjustment driven by the demands of Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy.
The recent rescission of the “sensitive locations” policy has further broadened ICE’s reach, eliminating protections for places like schools and hospitals, thereby escalating fears among many communities.
However, in a surprising pivot, President Trump announced the cessation of ICE raids specifically targeting the agricultural, hotel, and restaurant sectors, suggesting economic considerations might influence ICE’s actions moving forward.
On June 12, another individual, Fernando Mejiahe, a 41-year-old manager at Port Washington’s Schmear Bagel & Cafe, was detained by ICE at his workplace under allegations of overstaying a visa, bringing the contentious issue directly into the community.
Mayor Panzenbeck’s assurances appear at odds with the sentiments of community advocates like Kelly Guerra, who works with La Fuerza Unida—a nonprofit supporting Hispanic Americans in the area.
Guerra remarked on the unsettling impact these detentions have had on local undocumented workers, stating, “The sense of safety that once defined our city has been replaced with uncertainty, suspicion, and silence.”
As tensions rise, the core issue remains: what kind of community does America aspire to be?
With reports suggesting that individuals without criminal histories have been swept up alongside those being actively sought, it begs the question of how effectively ICE can balance the mission of national security with the principles of justice and due process.
The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the right to due process for all individuals—citizens and non-citizens alike—a fundamental principle that ICE actions risk undermining.
As communities in Nassau County wrestle with these incidents, the imperative for clarity, fairness, and protection of civil liberties is more critical than ever.
How the American public responds to this evolving landscape could shape the conversation around immigration enforcement and community cohesion in the years to come.
image source from：https://www.longislandpress.com/2025/06/16/editorial-not-the-united-states-we-have-known/
