Steven Raga, with ten other elected officials, staged a sit-in protest at 26 Federal Plaza | Photo via John Bahia
On September 18, 2025, a dozen elected officials—including New York State Assembly Member Steven Raga—did something extraordinary. They sat down. Not in a legislative chamber or a press conference, but on the cold floor of 26 Federal Plaza, inside the very building that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Their goal: to inspect the conditions of a makeshift detention facility on the 10th floor, where migrants were reportedly being held in unsanitary, inhumane conditions despite a federal court order demanding reform.
They were denied entry. They refused to leave. And they were arrested.
This act of civil disobedience wasn’t a stunt—it was a moral stand. It was a declaration that elected office is not just about passing laws, but about defending lives. And for Filipino Americans, especially those who know the pain of migration, displacement, and invisibility, it was a moment of profound resonance.
Steven Raga, the first Filipino American elected to the New York State Assembly, has long championed immigrant rights, labor protections, and community empowerment. But this sit-in marked a shift—from policy advocacy to direct action. Alongside State Senators Julia Salazar and Jabari Brisport, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, and others, Raga demanded transparency, accountability, and dignity for detainees.
Their protest followed disturbing reports: migrants denied medical care, crammed into cage-like rooms, deprived of basic hygiene and legal counsel. A federal judge had already ruled against ICE, ordering improvements. Yet conditions remained dire. Raga and his colleagues sought to verify compliance. ICE refused. Homeland Security labeled them “agitators.” And still, they persisted.
“This act of civil disobedience wasn’t a stunt—it was a moral stand. It was a declaration that elected office is not just about passing laws, but about defending lives. And for Filipino Americans, especially those who know the pain of migration, displacement, and invisibility, it was a moment of profound resonance.”
Filipino Americans are no strangers to the struggles of immigration. From visa backlogs to family separation, from labor exploitation to racial profiling, our community has endured—and resisted—systemic injustice. The sit-in at 26 Federal Plaza is not just about one facility. It’s about the broader machinery of detention, deportation, and dehumanization that affects millions, including thousands of Filipinos.
Raga’s arrest is a reminder that representation means more than visibility. It means vulnerability. It means risking comfort and career to confront power. And it means showing up—not just in Albany or Washington, but in the places where suffering is hidden and silence is enforced.
This moment demands more than applause. It demands mobilization. Here’s how we, as Filipino-Americans and advocacy organizations, can respond:
- Host community education events, such as teach-ins and webinars, on immigrant detention, ICE practices, and legal rights. Use Raga’s sit-in as a case study in civic courage.
- Have a policy pressure call on local and state officials to demand oversight of federal detention centers. Push for legislation that limits ICE’s footprint in New York.
- Have solidarity campaigns by partnering with Latinx, Black, and Asian American groups to amplify calls for humane immigration reform. Build coalitions that reflect shared struggles.
- Encourage Filipino youth to see civic action as part of their heritage. Highlight Raga’s leadership as a model of intergenerational advocacy.
- Amplify the situation by publishing op-eds, social media explainers, and visual toolkits that translate this moment into accessible, shareable content.
When elected officials sit down in protest, they are lifting the voices of those who cannot speak freely. They are occupying space that has been denied to the vulnerable. And they are reminding us that democracy is not just what happens in voting booths—it’s what happens when power is challenged, publicly and unapologetically.
Steven Raga’s sit-in is a call to conscience. Let’s answer it—not just with words, but with action.
