INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two days after a joint operation netted eight traffic arrests and the detainment of dozens of others, residents gathered to protest what they say is unfair treatment from law enforcement officers along with racial profiling of undocumented immigrants. The demonstration – deemed “Fight For Our Families” – aims to counter the narrative of classifying anyone without documentation as “criminals.”
“This is our home. I live here. I have a mortgage here,” said event co-organizer Azucena Maldonado, 46, a longtime Vero Beach resident whose roots originate in Mexico. “There is no reason for people to be afraid of us or the language we speak.”
Capt. Joe Abollo, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, said the traffic stops were not racially motivated.
“The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office does not and will not conduct traffic stops based on race, ethnicity, or any other discriminatory factor,” Abollo said. “Our deputies are trained to follow agency policies and state and federal laws that prohibit racial profiling. Traffic stops are conducted based on observed violations of the law or criminal investigative reasons.”
The gathering brought in hundreds of people with family origins tracing back to Mexico, along with Honduras, Ecuador and other places in central and south America. The protest comes as state and federal officials aim to crack down on illegal immigration in the U.S.
“We are proud to be in this country. Our ancestors risked their lives coming here. Most immigrants can’t go back home because they don’t have a home and come from marginalized communities,” Maldonado said. “(Immigrants) came here for a better life and education. People can’t survive on what they get paid (in Mexico).”
Supporters held flags representing Mexico, Honduras and other countries as they assembled at 9 a.m. Saturday at the corner of 58th Avenue and State Road 60. Many attendees held signs, some of which read “stop hate” and “immigrants make America great.”
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office partnered with agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol to detain undocumented immigrants earlier this week. The arrests in the county were conducted under Operation Stonegarden, which deputies have enforced since 2016.
Veronica Oliva, 44, born and raised in Vero Beach, said her close friend, who was a passenger in a work truck, was one of the people taken into custody by federal agents. Oliva described her friend as a hard worker.
“It makes me feel bad. None of them deserve it. They’re here to work and support their families,” said Oliva, who has roots that trace back to Veracruz, Mexico. “I have no words. The (officers) were stopping people just because they were Hispanic. If they are criminals, then go after them. But these people were not. We have to be treated equally.”
Maldonado said immigrants who come to America work in a variety of professions, including housekeeping, landscaping, construction, or even becoming firefighters, nurses or doctors. Maldonado said many immigrants come to the United States to escape from the violence in their home countries.
Immigrants who come and settle in America and do not complete the 10-step naturalization process to become a U.S. citizen face the consequence of deportation. More information on how to become a U.S. citizen can be found on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
“We don’t want people to be afraid of us because of the color of our skin,” Maldonado said.
Operation Stonegarden is a grant, funded by FEMA, which aims to enhance cooperation and coordination among Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol, and federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to improve overall border security. The grant is provided under the Department of Homeland Security.
Sheriff Eric Flowers previously said the Indian River County operations targeted those only engaged in criminal activity. No children were taken into custody during the incidents, which dealt primarily with traffic violations.
Co-organizer Elizabeth Gallegos said the arrests this week have created a fear in the immigrant community. Gallegos said the arrests were based on racial profiling.
“A lot of those people are not criminals. They’re here to provide for their families,” said Gallegos, 27, of Vero Beach. “Yes, there are a few bad seeds, but that’s everywhere. We all deserve a seat at the table.”
Jail booking records show that the eight people arrested locally had traffic offenses, including no valid driver’s license, knowingly driving while license suspended, driving with an expired license for more than six months and giving a false ID to a law enforcement officer. Those arrested were all men whose main language is Spanish. Three lived in Vero Beach, and the others resided in Fellsmere, Fort Pierce, Bradenton, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
Dozens of other people who were detained in Indian River County were handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Sheriff’s officials said one individual taken into custody was previously deported four times. Another had prior sex offense charges and one more had offenses including criminal use of personal identification information.
Further details on those individuals taken into custody by federal agents were not immediately available.
