Shelter Island Residents Brace for Arrival of 'Barbarians'

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In early February, the author witnessed the arrival of 'masked thugs' in a nearby town, harassing and arresting long-time residents. As a resident of Shelter Island, a small, isolated community off the coast of New York's Long Island, the author realized their own island was not immune to the growing threat of authoritarianism and immigration enforcement. The closure of the island's only pharmacy by wealthy developers added to the sense of vulnerability, especially for the island's elderly population. The author describes organizing a vigil to show solidarity with targeted residents and the difficult reality of facing down 'Trumpian-style aggression' with non-violent resistance.

Why it matters

Shelter Island has long been seen as a quasi-independent, progressive enclave, but the author's experience shows how even isolated communities are not immune to the broader national trends of rising authoritarianism and immigration crackdowns. The pharmacy closure highlights how the island's elderly and vulnerable residents are at risk, while the immigration raids demonstrate how no one is truly safe from the federal government's increasingly aggressive tactics.

The details

The author, who has owned a home on Shelter Island for over 30 years, was shocked when the local hotel and the island's only pharmacy were suddenly shuttered by the Soloviev Group, a wealthy development company. As a board member of the town's Senior Citizens Foundation, the author understood the existential threat this posed to the island's many elderly residents. Soon after, the author witnessed ICE agents raiding a line of cars at the North Ferry terminal, arresting three long-time local residents on their way to work. This led the author to organize a vigil with 70 of their neighbors to show solidarity, though the author acknowledged the limitations of non-violent resistance in the face of 'Trumpian-style aggression'.

• In early February, the 'barbarians' reached the author's gate on Shelter Island.
• In late January, a massive snowstorm hit the island.
• One day before the snowstorm, a 37-year-old ICE nurse was executed in Minneapolis.
• A week after the initial ICE raids, the author organized a vigil on an 18-degree night.
• In early February, ICE agents raided a line of cars at the North Ferry terminal in Greenport, New York, arresting three long-time local residents.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Shelter Island Town Board has been holding meetings to determine what to do if federal immigration agents come to the island, including whether the local police department will cooperate and if the school will lock its doors to ICE.