BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Residents in Buffalo are rallying around an asylum-seeking family from Iran as unmarked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles have been spotted in their neighborhood.
"We're a neighborhood that cares about each other, and we have been like we spend time outside anyway, we are a community that comes out," said Jennifer Connor, who lives in the neighborhood and is also the executive director of Justice for Migrant Families.
Neighbors report seeing unmarked vehicles and undercover agents patrolling their street for nearly a week, which was first reported by Investigative Post.
WATCH: Buffalo neighbors band together to protect asylum-seeking family from ICE surveillance
The community has responded by spending more time outside together – gardening, sharing meals, and keeping watch to ensure everyone's safety, particularly the Iranian family whose identity is being protected.
"What's happening is that we have had unmarked undercover ICE agents patrolling and idling on our block for almost a week now," Connor said.
"We got really worried," Tori Kuper said. "We saw all of this surveillance happening, people sitting in their vans."
"As a neighborhood, we're being cautiou,s and as a neighborhood that includes immigrants, we're also looking out for each other's safety," Drew Ludwig said.
Residents have been deliberately maintaining a visible presence in the neighborhood.
"Really keeping an eye out to make sure everyone in our neighborhood is safe and to make sure that this…we don't want undercover ICE agents in our neighborhood," Connor said.
This show of solidarity isn't new for the community, according to residents.
"When the blizzard happened a couple of years ago, everyone came out," Kuper said. "They shoveled each other out and they checked out each other. This is what we've been doing for so many years, so this is not any different."
The neighbors have been sharing meals and creating a supportive atmosphere.
Ludwig explained why this community response matters: "What does it mean to see neighbors eating together and laughing together and taking care of each other and helping each other feel safe? Like that's why I moved to this neighborhood, because this is a neighborhood where we do that."
When contacted, an ICE spokesperson said they cannot "confirm current, ongoing, or future operations."
Meanwhile, residents say they'll continue their neighborhood watch efforts to protect their Iranian neighbors.
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