ASBURY PARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- The immigrant community in Asbury Park, New Jersey is on edge after a single ICE arrest of a man heading home after dropping off his child at school.
That move by ICE rattled nerves and prompted city leaders to convene and let residents know what's taking place.
"We knew the right thing to do was to get the message out to our residents and the businesses, as far as how they can protect themselves, if they are detained, what their rights are, what they should say and what they should do," said Asbury Park Mayor John Moor.
The mayor posted a memo on the city's website informing residents about their rights if stopped by ICE.
Some of the rights outlined in the memo include the following:
Local police were not informed of the arrest on Friday but realize that there is little they can do.
"I also want to make clear on the immigration trust directive... we are not assisting ICE in any way, nor are we going to hinder them in any way," said Asbury Park Deputy Chief Guy Thompson.
Since the ICE detention involved a person who dropped a child at school, the superintendent of Asbury Park Schools wants to ease the fears of parents stating, "Our top priority is to continue to provide a safe and supportive environment in which our children are able to receive a quality education and a peaceful atmosphere in which learning can occur, regardless of what may be happening outside our school buildings."
No one knows if the person taken into custody had a criminal record, but it has caused the immigrant community to stay out of the public eye.
"Some people are a little bit scared right now, they don't know what to do, but hopefully with the information we gave them, some of that uncertainty will go away," Mayor Moor said.
Be sure to join us on Friday at 5:30 p.m. for our special "Immigration Crackdown: Facts and Fears." We'll take a deep dive into Trump's new immigration policies as well as concerns among immigrant communities in our area.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.