Next action! June 22nd Protest - "Let's melt some ICE"!
Parking Directions
Park in the Chester Valley Trail public parking lot.
This parking lot is in front of 1055 Westlakes Drive. Follow the signs to trail parking. It's right next to the trail.
A lot of people in the May protest parked right next to the protest: it looks convenient but it's actually ICE's parking lot! It's not public and they could tow people who park there.
After you have parked, walk down Westlakes Drive to West Swedesford Road. We will be standing on the grass right next to the number 92 bus stop.
What are we protesting?
In February, ICE signed a contract with Accesso via the leasing agents JLL to lease the Building at 1000 Westlakes Drive, Berwyn. The term of the lease is 5 years.
This building is directly across the street from a new elementary school coming next year. Is this something we want in our community? Should our tax dollars, school tax dollars, and our real estate investments in our community be negatively affected by this unwanted tenant of Berwyn? Do we want masked men grabbing our neighbors in the street and spiriting them away like during the terrible events in Minnesota?
The location of the new office was uncovered by Wired magazine. Indications are that ICE have moved into the building and are working there, though official confirmation is not forthcoming. ICE claims that the purpose of the office is to house admin staff and lawyers. It is unclear whether it might be a staging location for ICE officers. ICE aren’t communicating with local journalists or politicians, so the details are hazy.
WHYY article on the new office.
Unlike Tesla Takedown Devon this is not a regular action. Email to be included for any future protests.
Next Steps
BE POLITE! If you are emailing or phoning people who are tangentially connected to ICE, like business owners and local politicians, you want to be as polite as possible. Many of them will be getting dozens of emails about this.
Tredyffrin Public meeting
The new ICE offices were discussed in the meeting, linked here. Advance to 2:17 for the discussion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdFj8S0wD50
Email the Tredyffrin board of supervisors
https://www.tredyffrin.org/Boards-Commissions/Board-of-Supervisors
They are all Democrats, see the Public meeting above for a sense of their position on the issue.
Send a letter to the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Send a letter to the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. They haven't covered it yet, and they should.
Accesso partners
Owner of 1000 Westlakes Drive, the building ICE will be renting.
https://accessopartners.com/property/1000-westlakes/
Manager: Andrew Struthers, 610.947.1196. astruthers@accessoservices.com
Head office: 844.330.1818
JLL
Fairfield by Marriot
The hotel next door. Are they planning to host ICE agents? No idea! ICE agents have stayed at Marriots in other cities.
Phone: 484-324-4111
Call your local representatives
Melissa Shusterman - State House
Josh Shapiro the governor: ask him to close Moshannon detention center!
Carolyn Comitta - State Senate
John Fetterman - PA Senator
Chrissy Houlahan - House
Westlakes Drive ICE
May 4th Protest a success!
Our second Westlakes ICE protest at 1000 Westlakes Drive was a huge success, with 90+ people, including two folks who joined the protest after seeing us while driving past! The opinion of Berwyn is clearly with us and against ICE - hope they saw us and realized that they are NOT WELCOME here!
