Immigration enforcement sweeps through Riverhead Monday, with at least three arrests reported by witnesses

Federal immigration agents carried out a series of enforcement actions across Riverhead early Monday morning, beginning around 7:30 a.m., arresting at least three people, briefly stopping a 15-year-old student on his way to school, and triggering hours of fear and confusion as agents moved through residential streets, commercial areas and wooded areas, according to community members, eyewitnesses and volunteers with OLA of Eastern Long Island’s rapid response network.

The first confirmed arrest occurred around 8 a.m. on East Main Street near Mangano Funeral Home, according to Alejandro Dubon Godoy, a Riverhead resident who documented the activity via Facebook Live and said he witnessed the arrest.

Dubon Godoy said he followed a federal vehicle and saw multiple agents run toward a man who attempted to flee but was slowed by snow on the ground. Agents surrounded him, grabbed him and threw him to the ground, Dubon Godoy said.

“They didn’t hit him with their fists, but the way they grabbed him and threw him to the ground was very aggressive,” Dubon Godoy said.

He said the man was taken away within several minutes.

15-year-old stopped by masked agents near high school

Around the same time, between 7:35 and 7:40 a.m., a 15-year-old Riverhead High School student was briefly stopped on Hamilton Avenue, behind Bagel Lovers, while walking from his home to school, according to his sister, who asked not to be identified. The walk typically takes about 10 minutes. The student was on his way to track practice, which began at 8 a.m.

The sister said two unmarked SUVs slowed near the teen and an agent wearing tactical gear, including a vest and mask, approached after the vehicles boxed him in. The agent asked the teen’s age, requested identification and showed him a photograph of another person. After the teen said he was 15, had no identification and did not recognize the person in the photo, he was released, she said. She said he was not asked about his immigration status.

“We feel so hopeless about this situation,” the sister said. “I went to pick him up, and he was visibly scared. Are children not safe anymore?”

“They just looked at him, the way he looks, that’s it,” she said. “If he were older, he would have been detained. There are so many teenagers walking to the schools. This makes parents and families so scared.”

By about 8:15 a.m., multiple unmarked SUVs and a white van arrived at the New York State Police barracks on Riverleigh Avenue near Marta’s Deli, according to witnesses and video footage. Witnesses said agents were putting on tactical vests and using the rear parking area. New York State Troopers were present, witnesses said.

Throughout the morning, agents were observed separating into smaller groups and later reuniting at several locations, including Home Depot’s parking lot, West Main Street and the State Police station, according to Dubon Godoy, OLA volunteers and other community members tracking the operation. Witnesses said the enforcement team appeared to be using about seven vehicles in total, mostly dark-colored SUVs, along with two sedans and a white passenger van with tinted windows.

At about 8:45 a.m., on Pulaski Street in front of Oscar’s Deli, Guatemalan native Byron Villavicencio was arrested while sitting in his car, according to eyewitnesses. Witnesses said agents removed him from the vehicle and took him into custody. Agents later entered the deli to leave Villavicencio’s car keys with the store owner, the owner said.

The owner later showed a RiverheadLOCAL reporter security footage of agents entering the deli wearing camouflage-style clothing and tactical gear. Their faces were not clearly visible on the video, the owner said. He said the arrest caused panic inside the store.

Later that morning, Villavicencio’s 8-year-old daughter went with a relative to the State Police barracks looking for him, but was unable to see him.

Villavicencio works in construction and came to the United States from Guatemala when he was about 15 years old, according to a relative. He has six children, the relative said.

Later in the morning, federal agents boxed in a minivan on Route 58 while it was stopped at a traffic light across from Carl’s Equipment near Applebee’s, detaining two men, according to an OLA volunteer and Dubon Godoy, who documented the encounter.

Witnesses said the driver shouted that he had documentation. Both men were taken to the Applebee’s parking lot, where an agent drove the minivan, Dubon Godoy said. The driver was released after presenting identification, according to witnesses, while the passenger was taken into custody.

During that stop, agents wore vests labeled “Police” and “ERO,” the acronym for Enforcement and Removal Operations, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Around 11 a.m., agents were seen chasing multiple people through wooded areas behind Marta’s Deli, according to Dubon Godoy and other witnesses. Dubon Godoy described the scene as chaotic, with agents running through the trees in different directions.

“They were chasing people through the woods, like hunting deer,” Dubon Godoy said.

Witnesses said they could not confirm any arrests from that pursuit.

Around 11:15 a.m., residents and onlookers blocked federal vehicles near Marta’s Deli by parking along the public roadway, preventing the vehicles from exiting a private lot, according to Dubon Godoy and video accounts.

People exited their cars and shouted at agents, including, “Stop terrorizing the community,” “We are not criminals; do not treat us this way,” and “How would you feel if somebody was doing this to your families?” 

Dubon Godoy said dozens of people gathered, primarily young people, many recording on their phones. Some stood on foot while others honked from their vehicles. About 20 cars blocked the federal vehicles, he said. He described the gathering as tense but peaceful.

State troopers arrived and ordered the roadway cleared, allowing the federal vehicles to leave shortly afterward. By about noon, there was little visible enforcement activity left in Riverhead, according to witnesses.

Federal agents use ‘police-only’ lot behind trooper barracks

Several federal vehicles were seen entering and exiting the parking lot behind the trooper barracks, accessible only by a driveway posted with signs that said “Do Not Enter” and “Police Vehicles Only.” About a half-dozen troopers stood in the public parking lot in front of barracks,  separated from the sidewalk and the roadway by a hedge. State police cruisers idled in the public lot, their lights flashing. One of the troopers there interacted with residents and a reporter who asked questions about the people detained by agents and apparently brought to the police-only parking lot behind the building. 

Dubon Godoy said troopers told him they had not been notified in advance of the federal operation and were not cooperating with immigration enforcement, but that they could not prevent federal agents from using the parking lot.

Asked by a reporter about state police providing assistance to federal agents operating in the area, a trooper said the state police were not assisting the federal agents but only allowed them to use their parking lot. 

“New York State Police were not involved in, nor assisting with, any ICE operation,” Trooper Brittany Burton, Troop L public information officer, said in an statement emailed to RiverheadLOCAL after the original publication of this article. “Troopers responded solely to address traffic safety concerns and to restore the orderly flow of vehicles along Riverleigh Avenue. As troopers worked to clear the roadway, the federal vehicles temporarily entered the rear parking area of the Riverside Station while waiting for traffic to be safely cleared,” Burton said. “The agents never reached out to us for authorization to utilize our parking lot nor was any given by the New York State Police,” she said. Burton also said the State Police did not know in advance that the federal agents would be using their parking lot.

Dubon Godoy said he asked troopers where those arrested would be taken, and a trooper provided the address of 100 Carman Ave. in East Meadow. The address corresponds to the Nassau County Correctional Center.

Advocate warns against scammers preying on families of detainees

Erika Padilla, legal advisor for OLA of Eastern Long Island, urged community members to contact the organization directly with questions, particularly those whose relatives may have been detained.

“Be very careful not to fall victim to scams,” Padilla said. “There are people who want to take advantage of others at their most vulnerable moment. Contact us directly, call us, and we will help you.” OLA’s phone number is (631) 899-3441.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to an email seeking comment on the operation, the number of arrests, and the identities of those detained.

Denise Civiletti and Peter Blasl contributed reporting.

Editor’s note: This story was updated after its original publication to include a statement emailed by the New York State Police Troop L public information officer in response to a reporter’s questions.