Immigration Activist Forcefully Removed from Women's Day Event at Huntington Steakhouse

An immigration activist was put in a headlock and carried out of a ticketed International Women’s Day event at Fogo de Chão in Huntington on Friday, according to video circulating on social media.

The brief but forceful removal has triggered dueling statements from elected officials and the activist’s advocacy group, with both sides claiming the incident supports their positions in an ongoing dispute over immigration policy and public protest tactics. The confrontation reflects broader tensions that have already surfaced in local Democratic politics, as evidenced by a recent primary challenge centered on similar ICE funding disagreements.

The video shows Joshua Chan, identified by organizers as deputy director of Islip Forward, being seized by a man in a suit and carried toward the exit, according to the advocacy group that shared the clip. The man has been identified in media reports as Luis Montes Brito, described as chief of staff to Suffolk County Legislator Sam Gonzalez.

Islip Forward has labeled the removal an assault in its social media posts and press materials, according to the source material.

State Senator Monica Martinez responded to the incident on Instagram, stating she has “been a target of Islip Forward before” and describing the group’s tactics as “a campaign of harassment” that she says “crossed into dangerous territory.”

Martinez also alleged on Instagram that the activist used a disguise and falsified information to gain entry to the ticketed event. The exchange included Chan shouting at Martinez as he was removed from the restaurant, according to reports.

The confrontation represents the latest flashpoint in a years-long local dispute over immigration enforcement in Suffolk County. Islip Forward operates a well-known Long Island ICE tracker and organizes protests around county contracts, according to the group’s website.

The incident occurred at the Fogo de Chão location in Huntington Station on Walt Whitman Road, according to the restaurant’s website listing.

This is not Chan’s first removal from a public venue. He was previously ejected from an Islip meeting following an August 2025 vote on the town’s contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to prior coverage noted in reports of the new incident.

The video has reignited local debate over protest tactics and accountability, with both sides calling for action following the confrontation. The brief clip, witnessed by local organizers and attendees at the women’s event, quickly drew public statements from both Martinez and the advocacy group.

Islip Forward runs campaigns focused on immigration enforcement policies in Suffolk County communities, organizing demonstrations and tracking Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities through its online platform.

The organization’s confrontational approach has drawn criticism from some local officials, while supporters view their tactics as necessary activism on immigration issues affecting Long Island communities.

The restaurant incident comes amid ongoing tensions between immigration advocacy groups and local officials over enforcement policies and public protest methods in Islip and surrounding areas.

Local officials and Islip Forward did not provide immediate, detailed public responses beyond the social media posts and statements already cited in coverage of the incident, according to reports.

The video’s circulation on social media has amplified the dispute, with the brief footage serving as evidence for competing narratives about appropriate protest tactics and official responses to activist demonstrations at public and private events.

The confrontation at the International Women’s Day celebration has added another chapter to the sustained conflict between immigration advocates and local government officials over enforcement policies and public engagement methods in Suffolk County.