Over 200 Protesters in Newburgh Demand Abolition of ICE, Oppose Chester Facility

More than 200 protesters gathered in Newburgh in heavy snow on Jan. 24-25 to demand abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to urge local elected officials to shield immigrants regardless of documentation. Organizers framed the rally as solidarity with Minneapolis demonstrations after the Jan. 7 killing of Renée Good by an ICE officer, and as a direct challenge to proposed ICE activity tied to a facility in nearby Chester.

Speakers at the rally called for state and federal policy changes, including passage of the MELT Act to restrict ICE agents from wearing masks during operations and the New York For All Act to limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. City of Newburgh 1st Ward Councilmember Giselle Martinez addressed the crowd and said no one should face brutality based on immigration status. Representatives from other Hudson Valley communities joined protesters, warning against expanded ICE presence in the region and urging local protections for immigrant neighbors.

The Chester facility proposal has already drawn bipartisan resistance from Orange County officials. The Orange County Legislature and County Executive Steve Neuhaus have publicly pushed back against plans tied to expanded ICE operations in the area, framing the issue as both a public safety and community trust concern. Protesters used that political opening to press county and municipal leaders for clear commitments to noncooperation and for policies that prioritize sanctuary measures.

For Newburgh and the wider Orange County community the immediate implications are practical and political. Immigrant residents report heightened fear that local policing could translate into immigration enforcement, undermining cooperation with law enforcement and access to public services. Local elected officials face pressure to put concrete policies on the record - whether through county resolutions, municipal ordinances, or formal statements to state lawmakers - as the New York Legislature considers measures like the MELT Act and New York For All Act.

The turnout despite snow underscores an active grassroots network in the Hudson Valley that can shape local debates ahead of upcoming county legislative sessions and state-level deliberations. Activists say continued public demonstrations, attendance at county meetings, and direct contact with County Executive Neuhaus and Orange County legislators are part of their strategy to influence outcomes.

What comes next for neighbors in Newburgh and Orange County will hinge on elected officials’ responses and on the progress of state legislation. Residents watching local policy should expect further organizing and public forums, and county and municipal leaders will face renewed scrutiny over whether they will adopt formal protections for immigrants or permit expanded ICE operations in the region.