Faith Leaders Paint Symbols of Hope as Plainfield Responds to ICE Surge

On Wednesday morning, faith leaders and immigrant rights advocates gathered in downtown Plainfield to pray, paint, and stand together. Their message was simple but powerful: those caught in immigration enforcement are neighbors, not strangers.

The action responded to a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity that has hit Plainfield hard. In just a few hours on a recent Monday, at least six people were arrested. The wave of enforcement has rippled through the community, creating fear and uncertainty among families and friends.

Led by Faith in NJ, an organization that coordinates weekly vigils and prayers at Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, the Wednesday gathering moved through three downtown locations where recent arrests occurred. At each stop, participants stenciled monarch butterflies onto sidewalks alongside the words "Free Our Neighbors."

The monarch butterfly carries meaning for immigration advocates. It migrates freely between the United States and Mexico, symbolizing a border that has not always been closed and a movement that cannot be contained. Faith in NJ has painted similar butterflies at vigils in Newark and Montclair as part of a broader network of resistance.

"Free Our Neighbors" is more than a slogan. Organizers said they use it to remind the public that the people being detained are members of their community—they shop at local stores, send their children to Plainfield schools, and work alongside their neighbors. They are not distant abstractions in a federal system.

Participants painted butterflies at three locations: Park Avenue near Fourth Street, East Fourth Street near the NJ Transit lot, and Cleveland Avenue at East Fifth Street. As the group moved between sites, they chanted songs about freedom and abolition, and a faith leader offered prayers at each stop.

"May this strengthen us for the work ahead," one faith leader said. "May you be protected, may you be well, and may the God that you know surround you in an unbroken love that fights back against every injustice."

The gathering brought together representatives from Plainfield's Deportation and Immigration Response Equipo (D.I.R.E), Angels for Action, and El Centro Hispanoamericano—all organizations with offices in downtown Plainfield working to support immigrants and their families. Rapid responders, trained community members who document ICE activity and inform residents of their rights, were present and visible throughout the action.

One attendee affiliated with El Centro Hispanoamericano described the weight of what they witnessed: "I feel like I went to a funeral. Even worse than that. I feel the impact and the fear of that human being chained and it's their families, their kids. The fear was tangible for me today."

She continued, "I work with the parents every day, and I feel their pain every single day. But for some reason, walking the same steps that they did, it has touched me a lot more than I expected."

Another activist noted that fear has extended into the community in unexpected ways. A graduate at the Plainfield Public Library's recent GED graduation ceremony could not attend because her boyfriend had been arrested that morning. One achievement, one moment of pride, displaced by the reality of enforcement.

But the tone, though solemn, was not hopeless. Another participant reminded the gathering that "this is not a funeral. They are alive and they can be released. Hold that hope."

A protester reflected on the damage that extends beyond individual arrests: "A lot of people don't know quite the impact that has hit Plainfield specifically, in locations that they may pass every day. It's very hard to try and explain to people how heavily hit this area is. It's constant, it's every day."

She acknowledged the rapid responders positioned throughout downtown: "These people who are consistently out here for the community when I may not be able to be or when the rest of the community is not able to be, it's heartwarming."

Another attendee spoke to the generational trauma: "I keep reflecting on the trauma that our communities are enduring. A trauma that doesn't end, a trauma that continues generations and generations into the future. These acts of ritual resistance are a way for us to attend to that trauma in the immediate, to give voice to it, to lift it up symbolically."

The action in Plainfield is part of a larger movement. Faith in NJ continues to hold vigils and prayer ceremonies every Monday night at Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark. These gatherings were sparked in part by the death of Edwin Jovanny Lopez Cornejo, a 39-year-old Plainfield resident who died in custody at Delaney Hall in August.

Organizers said more direct action is being planned in Plainfield. The butterflies painted on Wednesday are not the end of the conversation—they are the beginning of something larger.

For information about community responses to ICE enforcement or to join future actions, contact Faith in NJ or local organizations including D.I.R.E, Angels for Action, or El Centro Hispanoamericano in downtown Plainfield.

FAQ

Q: What does the monarch butterfly symbolize for immigration advocates?

A: The monarch butterfly is native to both the United States and Mexico and migrates freely between the two countries every year. For immigration advocates, it represents a border that has not always been as closed as it is today and a movement of people and freedom that cannot be contained by walls or enforcement.

Q: What does "Free Our Neighbors" mean?

A: Organizers use "Free Our Neighbors" to remind the public that people detained by ICE are members of the Plainfield community—they work, shop, go to school, and build lives alongside their neighbors. The phrase emphasizes that immigration is not an abstract policy issue but a human one that affects people's lives right here.

Q: Who is Faith in NJ and what do they do?

A: Faith in NJ is an organization that coordinates vigils and prayer ceremonies for people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They hold weekly gatherings every Monday night at Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark and work across New Jersey communities to organize ritual resistance and mutual support.

Q: What are rapid responders and what role do they play?

A: Rapid responders are trained community members who are positioned in areas where ICE enforcement is active. They document arrests, support families, and inform residents of their legal rights if they encounter immigration agents. In Plainfield, rapid responders have established an increased presence to respond to the surge in ICE activity.

Q: How can Plainfield residents support this community response?

A: Residents can join the weekly vigils at Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark every Monday night or connect with local organizations including D.I.R.E, Angels for Action, or El Centro Hispanoamericano in downtown Plainfield. More direct action is being planned in Plainfield, and organizers welcome community participation.