An immigrant rights activist was arrested on Thursday over alleged trespassing and littering on ICE Director Tony Pham‘s lawn during a protest in early September.
Protesting ICE: Nancy Nguyen, who heads the prominent Vietnamese activist group Vietlead, protested outside Pham’s home in Virginia on Sept. 8, reported WHYY.
- Demonstrators were protesting the condition of federal immigration detainees, placing signs on his lawn.
- City police and federal officers apprehended Nguyen in her Philadelphia home around 7:30 p.m., according to a statement from VietLead.
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- Around 50 supporters from VietLead and other organizations flocked to the Philadelphia Police Department headquarters to protest her arrest.
- After being held in police custody, Nguyen was released without bail after 5 p.m. the next day.
- In response to the protests, Pham said he understands the protesters’ concerns, but denounced that the protest was done in his home and not in his office, reported WRIC.
Respected leader: The veteran organizer’s release was celebrated by her family, supporters and two of Philadelphia City’s Councilmembers Helen Gym and Kendra Brooks.
- Upon her release, she was welcomed by hugs and cheers from the crowd waiting for her.
- “I didn’t know y’all were here, it’s really cold down there and there were a lot of people down there,” the 38-year-old leader was quoted by the Philadelphia Inquirer as saying.
- Ngyuen is thought to be one of Philadelphia’s most respected young leaders, having actively participated in, as well as organized, protests concerning Asian American and Vietnamese communities.
- In her statement, Nguyen did not address charges against her but noted that “There’s a lot of questions and you’ll be hearing more from us.”
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