The Island's Religious Communities React To ICE Raids On Nantucket

To the editor: Nantucket’s Christian, Jewish, and Islamic communities express their extreme concern for those taken into custody by Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and transported off island.

Despite our religious differences, our various traditions teach us to have compassion for the immigrant and stranger in our midst.  Although some were targeted for alleged criminal activities or affiliations, masked agents “profiled” cars on major roads on Nantucket, stopped and arrested individuals who fit their “profiles.”

The fear that this has caused among those in the immigrant community is of great concern to us all. Our hearts go out to the families of those detained, and our concern for the direction of American democracy is palpable. Particularly important are root principles of American democracy that assumes innocence until proven otherwise and habeas corpus, which assures the right of the accused to challenge their detention in a court of law.

It is our hope that every person taken, be afforded the right to defend themselves in a court of law, as quickly as possible.

Max Wolf
Althea Smith
John Murray
Carr Holland
Abrar Qureshi
Derek Worthington