Glen Cove Residents Demand Protection From ICE Enforcement

Glen Cove residents packed a city council meeting Tuesday night, calling on local officials to take action against immigration enforcement operations that have rattled the community in recent months.

The meeting, held March 10, drew speakers from Glen Cove and neighboring communities including Sea Cliff, all urging the council to protect residents from federal immigration agents.

Roger Williams, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove, opened by describing his more than 25 years in the city after relocating from Louisiana. He told the council he was drawn to Glen Cove’s diversity when he arrived and said that spirit has been shaken by recent activity in the area.

“Lately, I have been saddened by the activity of ICE in our city,” Williams said. He called on the council to respect people’s humanity regardless of where they came from.

Glen Cove has emerged as one of the more active sites of immigration enforcement in Nassau County. In June 2025, four unidentified people were taken into custody by ICE agents near the Glen Street LIRR station. Since that incident, the Glen Cove Rapid Response Network has reported double-digit ICE encounters in the city. Islip Forward, a website that tracks federal immigration activity across Long Island, recorded confirmed ICE encounters in Glen Cove as recently as Feb. 12 and March 6.

The city has a 53.9% white majority, lower than the Nassau County average, and has seen a series of community vigils and protests in response to the ongoing federal enforcement push.

Karen Papasergiou of Sea Cliff described a personal encounter with ICE agents she witnessed in February. She told the council she saw three unmarked vehicles on the road and approached the scene, at which point an agent told her to leave, claiming she was interfering with an investigation. Papasergiou said the agent then threatened her, stating he knew where she lived.

She said Glen Cove police responded to her concerns afterward and made her feel far safer than the federal agents had.

“Support your constituents and do not allow ICE to terrorize residents,” Papasergiou told the council.

Michael Israel, a former assistant superintendent in the Glen Cove City School District, also addressed the council and spoke on behalf of Rabbi Michael Churgel of the North Country Reform Temple in Glen Cove. Israel said the community has an obligation to protect residents and make people feel safe regardless of their background. He said immigrants in the community should not have to live in fear of what he described as “Gestapo-like encounters.”

Karin Barnaby, also of Sea Cliff, told council members that each of them is likely a descendant of immigrants. She referred to ICE agents as cowardly thugs who violate human rights and said their actions parallel historical patterns of oppression.

“Persecution is nothing new in this country,” Barnaby said.

Nabil Azamy told the council that community members are afraid to go to school, visit grocery stores, or simply be outside.

The meeting took place against a broader backdrop of immigration enforcement activity that has drawn protests across Nassau County and nationally under the Trump administration’s crackdown. Multiple vigils have been held in the Glen Cove area in recent weeks.

The Glen Cove City Council did not publicly announce any formal action or vote on immigration policy during the meeting. It was not immediately clear whether the council plans to introduce any local measures in response to the residents’ requests. Long Island Forum will update this story as information develops.