Immigrant Activist Arrested For Protesting at ICE Director’s Home, Littering

October 12, 2020

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.

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.

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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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