Photo: Three Hispanic young women share messages about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) school raids and being raised by immigrant parents. The sign on the right says, “For my parents who came with nothing and gave me everything.” Video: Protestors thronged Broadway to voice opposition to federal U.S. immigration policy and tactics.| David Pace, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — Several hundred people overflowed both sides of the Broadway Bridge in Idaho Falls on Saturday. The rally was to support families who may be targeted or broken up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration raids as the federal government takes new measures to enforce immigration policy.

One young mother with a baby boy spoke on condition of anonymity because her father is an undocumented immigrant.

“Immigrants are the root of America. My dad, he’s been here since I was born — a farmworker,” she said. “We live in fear. My dad, you know our family right now; it’s a tough time for our community. It’s a tough time for our people.”

The woman said after 25 years living in the United States, her father couldn’t attend the protest in person because he fears being deported.

“He picks our potatoes that we eat. You know, they want to send him back to Mexico. They want to to send him back. And that’s my dad,” she said, breaking down in tears. “I’m here today for him because he couldn’t be here. I had my sign. He put his handprint on my sign.”

An EastIdahoNews.com reporter counted more than 350 supporters at the peaceful protest, located adjacent to the frozen waterfalls and Japanese Friendship Garden along the scenic Snake River in downtown Idaho Falls. No counter-protesters were noted at the site.

Signs such as: “School is for education, not deportation,” “They’re our neighbors,” and “Fight ignorance, not immigrants!” waved in the air, accompanied by cheers of “No fears! No hate! No ICE in our state!” and “Sí se puede!”

Other posters read: “We’re all immigrants,” “No human is illegal on stolen land,” “The Pilgrims were undocumented! #KnowYourHistory,” “We speak for those who can’t,” “Immigration reform,” and “Families belong together.”

Event organizer Shantelle Duran said Hispanics and other immigrants are “business owners, workers, students, friends and neighbors.”

“We are here today to stand against racial profiling and unjust immigration policies that target our communities,” she said. “… We contribute to this country just like everyone else. The American flag represents us, too, and we will not be intimidated into silence. Our message is clear — we are here, we are staying, and we will continue to fight for our rights.”

Idaho Falls City Councilman Jim Francis attended the event to better understand this part of our community.

“I’m a strong supporter of community policing in all of its full meaning — that anybody in this community should be secure from crime against persons and property,” Francis said. “So it’s not the primary responsibility of our police department to look at immigration status. It’s to protect all the people who live here.”

The Idaho Falls Police Department’s full policy on immigration violations is outlined in policy 414 (pages 216-218), which states that for immigration violations, “an officer is encouraged to forgo detentions made solely on the basis of a misdemeanor offense when time limitations, availability of personnel, issues of officer safety, communication capabilities or the potential to obstruct a separate investigation outweigh the need for detention.”

Local Idaho Falls officers inform a supervisor if anyone is “detained for a criminal immigration violation.”

In response to “federal immigration officials requests for assistance … the department may provide available support services such as traffic control or peacekeeping efforts.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement does operate throughout Idaho, but “I’m honestly not aware of anything locally that’s a massive raid,” Francis said.

Law enforcement in Bannock and Blaine counties recently released statements refuting rumors about ICE raids in their communities. Social media in eastern Idaho has been rife with raid rumors for the past several weeks, but there has been scant evidence of any large-scale operations in the area.

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The city’s police policy is designed to increase trust with the general public and minority groups.

“Because as soon as you create fear among community groups about law enforcement, then they won’t come forward and help you solve crimes, and that’s our job,” Francis said. “I don’t care if you’re a tourist here or somebody who’s lived here for your entire life; you deserve the same protection of law.”

The rally drew support from large numbers of cars who honked passing by.

Former Bonneville County Democrats Chairwoman Miranda Marquit said it’s the second-largest demonstration she’s seen in Idaho Falls in the past 10 years.

Despite little evidence of ICE raids in the area, many at the protest said its a very real fear for them.

The anonymous mother with the boy urged her fellow immigrants to be careful.

“There’s posts on the internet — if you’re undocumented, stay home. It’s just what’s best. … They can’t, they can’t do anything at your door,” she said. “Stay safe to all the immigrants out there, you know, not just the Hispanics, but the Portuguese — everybody — all the immigrants.”