Atlantic City immigrant group demands apology after 6 arrested at protest

🚨6 members of an immigrant rights group were arrested during Atlantic City protest.

🚨The group disputes police accounts of what led to the arrests.

🚨The group says it will protest every Saturday until its demands are met.

ATLANTIC CITY — An immigrant rights group is demanding an apology from Atlantic City police after six of its members, including its executive director, were arrested during a protest Saturday.

Atlantic City police said the arrests happened after approximately 75 members of the immigrant rights group El Pueblo Unido failed to follow orders to stay behind jersey barriers along the sidewalk in front of the public safety building. The group disputes that account and says police refused to "deescalate the situation" after an individual threatened the protesters.

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The group is demanding action from Atlantic City

At a press briefing Monday, El Pueblo Unido director Cristian Moreno-Rodriguez said the group wants an impartial investigation into three Atlantic City Police Department officers who spoke to ICE agents on Thursday, full funding of its immigrant defense fund by the city and all charges dropped against the six people arrested Saturday, in addition to an apology.

Moreno-Rodriguez said that until those things happen, his group will hold protests every Saturday.

"I send a message to police chief James Sarkos. You have lost all the trust of our community members because of the failed leadership of those you left behind while you went away. So we hope that when Chief Sarkos returns he will issue an apology for the failed leadership of those you left behind while you went away," Moreno-Rodriguez said.

Atlantic City police on Monday did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for more information about where Sarkos may have gone.

ICE tensions are at the center of the dispute

The group believes Atlantic City police are assisting ICE agents by stopping members of its so-called "rapid response" team from pursuing ICE agents.

ACPD Police Chief James Sarkos said officers were involved with a traffic stop during an incident Thursday that led to Saturday's protest. Moreno-Rodriguez said the officers ignored unsafe driving by ICE agents.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small called the dispute "an unfortunate situation" and said the city has no jurisdiction over federal law enforcement operations. The city is not notified about ICE activity.

"Our responsibility is to continue serving and protecting all Atlantic City residents, regardless of background or nationality, and to ensure that every member of our community knows that they are valued," Small said. "We have the absolute best police department in the world. Although we must recognize federal law supersedes state and municipal authority in this instance, the fine men and women of the Atlantic City Police Department will continue to do what they have always done, which is protect and serve our great city with dignity and grace."

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