Key Points
- ICE raids have intensified in Camden since last January, causing students to miss school and parents to avoid work due to arrest fears.
- On Tuesday, parents, advocates, and teachers attended Camden City Council meeting to voice concerns about ICE targeting the Hispanic and immigrant community.
- Residents criticise city council for insufficient action against ICE’s growing presence.
- Local lawmakers fear Trump administration retaliation, including loss of federal funding, if they publicly oppose ICE.
- Damaris, a mother (last name withheld for identity protection), stated: “There’s nothing that’s being done by the city to protect its residents. It’s ridiculous to me that people have to live in fear.”
- Kimberly Valle, director of programs and partnerships at ImmSchools nonprofit, has attended monthly meetings held by Camden Council president Angel Fuentes for the past 12 months.
- Valle and advocates repeatedly asked Fuentes what the city is doing to ensure community safety; she calls for public condemnation of ICE, similar to actions by mayors like Newark’s Ras Baraka.
- Angel Fuentes told Mosaic on Tuesday: “There are people in the community, pastors, talking about for us to pass a resolution. But if we do that we will put all of our 70,000 plus people in harm’s way. We need federal dollars to come to Camden.”
- Fuentes added: “The moment we approve a resolution, Trump’s going to take immediate action through Homeland Security to stop any federal dollars or resources to come to the city. So that is not a good idea.”
- Advocates note other cities’ officials have spoken out without apparent severe consequences.
- An unnamed Camden teacher reported students missing school over the past year; parents seek food and financial aid due to lost income from staying home in fear.
- The teacher assured: “I tell my students that as long as they’re in this school there is nothing to worry about. I will do everything in my power to protect them.”
Camden, New Jersey (North London News Desk) – 14 January 2026
Camden residents, advocates, and educators confronted the City Council on Tuesday over escalating fears of ICE enforcement actions targeting the Hispanic and immigrant communities. Since ICE raids ramped up last January, students have missed school and parents have halted work amid arrest anxieties, prompting public outcry at the council meeting.
Why Are Camden Residents Living in Fear of ICE?
Parents, advocates, and teachers gathered at Camden’s City Council meeting to highlight the profound impact of intensified ICE operations. They argue that council members have failed to implement meaningful protections against the agency’s growing presence. As reported in the original coverage, the community feels abandoned, with daily life disrupted by pervasive dread.
Damaris, a mother whose last name is withheld to safeguard her identity, captured the sentiment succinctly:
“There’s nothing that’s being done by the city to protect its residents. It’s ridiculous to me that people have to live in fear.”
Her testimony underscores the human cost, as families weigh basic necessities against the risk of detention.
This fear has tangible effects: children absent from classrooms and parents forgoing employment. Advocates emphasise that Camden’s Hispanic and immigrant populations, integral to the city’s fabric, now navigate routine activities with heightened caution.
What Has Kimberly Valle Done to Address ICE Concerns?
Kimberly Valle, director of programs and partnerships at ImmSchools—a nonprofit supporting immigrant children—has actively engaged city leaders for the past 12 months. She revealed attending monthly meetings convened by Camden Council president Angel Fuentes, where she and fellow advocates pressed for clarity on protective measures.
Valle detailed these sessions, noting persistent queries about safeguarding the community. At the minimum, she seeks public condemnation of ICE tactics, akin to statements from figures like Newark mayor Ras Baraka, who openly criticised a raid detaining a military veteran. Such visibility, Valle contends, signals solidarity without necessitating policy overhauls.
Her persistence highlights a broader advocacy effort, bridging educators, families, and officials in pursuit of reassurance. Yet, responses from city hall have fallen short of expectations, fuelling frustration.
How Does Council President Angel Fuentes Justify Inaction?
Angel Fuentes, Camden Council president, addressed concerns directly in an interview with Mosaic on Tuesday. He referenced community discussions, including pastors urging a formal resolution against ICE:
“There are people in the community, pastors, talking about for us to pass a resolution. But if we do that we will put all of our 70,000 plus people in harm’s way. We need federal dollars to come to Camden.”
Fuentes elaborated on fiscal vulnerabilities:
“The moment we approve a resolution, Trump’s going to take immediate action through Homeland Security to stop any federal dollars or resources to come to the city. So that is not a good idea.”
His stance reflects calculations balancing advocacy against potential economic reprisals from the Trump administration.
This position prioritises federal funding for Camden’s 70,000-plus residents, amid reliance on such resources for essential services. Critics, however, question whether silence truly averts retaliation.
Which Other Cities Have Spoken Out Against ICE?
Advocates repeatedly cite examples of boldness elsewhere, pressing Camden officials to follow suit. Newark mayor Ras Baraka’s condemnation of an ICE raid that detained a military veteran stands as a prominent case, demonstrating public opposition without reported funding cuts.
Teachers and parents at the meeting invoked these precedents, arguing that Camden lawmakers could similarly denounce overreach. Valle reinforced this, pointing to mayors and council members across New Jersey and the nation who have issued statements shielding immigrants.
Such actions, proponents claim, bolster community trust without inviting catastrophe. Camden’s hesitation, by contrast, amplifies perceptions of abandonment.
What Impacts Are Teachers Observing in Schools?
A Camden teacher, whose name is withheld to protect his identity, testified to the classroom fallout from ICE fears. Over the past year, numerous students have absented themselves, while parents contact him for food and financial support amid income losses from self-imposed isolation.
He reassures his pupils daily:
“I tell my students that as long as they’re in this school there is nothing to worry about. I will do everything in my power to protect them.”
This pledge underscores educators’ frontline role, yet highlights systemic gaps beyond school walls.
Missed schooling compounds educational disparities, with long-term consequences for vulnerable youth. Parents’ inquiries reveal desperation, as fear supplants livelihoods.
When Did ICE Raids Escalate in Camden?
The uptick traces to last January, marking 12 months of heightened enforcement by Tuesday’s meeting. ImmSchools’ Valle dates her involvement to this period, aligning with reports of disrupted routines.
This timeline coincides with broader Trump administration policies post-reelection and inauguration, amplifying immigration crackdowns nationwide. Camden’s experience mirrors patterns in other urban centres, though local responses vary.
Residents link the surge directly to family hardships, demanding accountability from elected representatives.
Who Is Pushing for City Action and How?
The coalition spans parents like Damaris, nonprofit leaders like Valle, anonymous educators, and community pastors. Their strategy includes monthly meetings with Fuentes and public testimony at council sessions, amplifying voices through direct confrontation.
Teachers contribute by documenting absenteeism and resource needs, humanising abstract fears. Collectively, they advocate resolutions or statements, drawing on national examples for feasibility.
This grassroots mobilisation challenges official reticence, framing protection as a civic duty over political risk.
What Risks Do Lawmakers Cite from Trump Administration?
Local lawmakers, exemplified by Fuentes, invoke retaliation via funding cuts orchestrated through Homeland Security. Camden’s dependence on federal dollars for its 70,000 residents looms large, with any anti-ICE resolution potentially triggering swift reprisals.
Fuentes’ warnings tie directly to President Trump’s influence, post-inauguration in January 2025. This calculus prioritises stability for the majority, even at immigrant communities’ expense.
Advocates counter that evidence of such punishments remains anecdotal, urging empirical scrutiny.
How Has the Community Responded to Council Inaction?
Frustration manifests in packed council chambers, emotional pleas, and sustained advocacy. Damaris deems the status quo “ridiculous,” while Valle seeks vocal leadership. The unnamed teacher pledges personal vigilance, filling voids left by policy.
Pastors and groups propose resolutions, broadening the chorus. This unified front signals deepening resolve, potentially pressuring shifts despite fiscal fears.
What Broader Context Shapes Camden’s Dilemma?
Camden grapples with entrenched poverty and service strains, heightening federal aid stakes. ICE’s focus on Hispanic enclaves exacerbates divides, as 70,000 residents’ welfare hangs in balance.
Nationwide parallels, from Newark to other states, offer blueprints yet underscore Camden’s uniqueness. Trump-era policies, intensified since 2025, frame local debates within national immigration enforcement.
