Red Bank Resident Detained By ICE, Deputy Mayor Says

RED BANK, NJ — A Red Bank resident has been detained by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano said.

On Jan. 6, resident Ricardo Paz was taken by ICE in the area of Bridge Avenue, Triggiano said.

According to a report from NJ Advance Media, Paz was detained as part of a larger sweep in the borough, though ICE officials have not disclosed how many people were detained.

In a statement sent to Patch, Red Bank Police Chief Michael Frazee said the police department was not involved in Paz’s detention, as the department follows the Attorney General Immigrant Trust Directive set forth by the Attorney General and Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

In a statement sent to Patch, Paz's attorney, Anne Sedki, said she's represented Paz for six years and that he's currently being held at Delaney Hall while his case proceeds through the legal system.

Prior to being taken by ICE, Sedki told NJ Advance Media that Paz had a case already pending with immigration authorities and that she’s repeatedly tried and failed to get information from ICE on why he was taken into custody.

She also noted that Paz has shown up to all his previous court appearances and has been “compliant in every way,” the report said.

"I respect the role of immigration enforcement; however, I remain concerned that continued detention in this matter is unnecessary and inconsistent with the principles of fairness and due process," Sedki told Patch. "My position is that this case can be fully and responsibly resolved through the courts without ongoing detention, and I am asking for a careful, individualized review of his circumstances. "

Sedki went on to say that Paz posed no risk to the community that warranted his arrest, and that he is a well-respected member of his community who "deserves the opportunity to have his case heard without remaining in detention, especially when less restrictive alternatives are available under the law."

"My office will continue to fight for his release pending the outcome of his case in Immigration Court," Sedki said.

Patch has reached out to ICE for further information on Paz’s detainment. This article will be updated once a response is received.

In an online post, Triggiano said what happened to Paz should “deeply trouble and anger all of us,” and said Red Bank “will never allow this kind of harm to become normalized.”

“I am urging all residents to stand together, to support one another, and to show solidarity with Ricardo and his family in ways that are meaningful and respectful,” she said. “Our community is strongest when we refuse to look away, when we care for one another, and when we speak up to say that dignity, safety, and humanity matter here.”

Locally known as the owner and operator of Ricardo Paz Landscare & Lawn Care, Paz came to the U.S. in 2006 and is the father of a 17-year-old son, according to a report from RedBankGreen.

In January 2011, the report said Paz was arrested and charged with simple assault-purposefully/knowingly causing bodily injury, though state municipal court records list the status of the charge as “disposed,” and no guilty or not guilty plea was entered.

In an interview with RedBankGreen, Sedki told reporters that Paz’s previous arrest could be a reason why he was in the system, but said that until ICE provides paperwork on the case, there’s no way to know if he was targeted for the 2011 incident or just "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Since his detainment, Triggiano said the Mexican Consulate has been in contact with Paz’s detention center to check on his well-being and to ensure his medical needs are being addressed.

The consulate has also visited and met with Paz in detention, Triggiano said.

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“I know I’m not the only one in our town who was really disturbed by the news this week,” Councilmember Kristina Bonatakis said during a recent council meeting. “What we saw coming out of Minnesota, a tragic death, but also in our own community.”

“We have had – depends what you want to call it – apprehensions, disappearances, kidnappings by ICE in our own town,” the councilmember continued. “And I know people who have previously never witnessed those things with their own eyes were pretty traumatized by the things they saw right here in Red Bank.”

“So I just want to say that I hope that we never normalize that. This is not normal, this is not okay,” Bonatakis said. “All of those folks taken were important to our community. Some of them, specifically, are people whose stories and character and community commitment have been a balm to our community in years and decades past. That hurts. That hurts a lot.”

Patch has reached out to Triggiano and Mayor William Portman for further information on Paz’s detainment.

This article may be updated as additional information is received.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated with a statement from Paz's attorney, Anne Sedki.