Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spent much of the Friday Nov. 7 in or near Castle Manor Apartments in Hyattsville, with agents visible through the windows of the lobby of building L for most of the afternoon.

After a resident of Jefferson St first alerted the community to the presence of ICE agents via the neighborhood email listserv, HOPE, community members gathered at entrances to building L and stood on street corners surrounding Castle Manor with signs warning residents of ICE presence.

A resident repurposes a cardboard box to warn neighbors of ICE presence.
A resident uses a handmade sign to warn of ICE presence at the corner of Hamilton and Jefferson.
The Rapid Response Choir, with City Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2) sings about taking the White House back for Democracy.
Residents follow agents to a car with Texas plates.

According to police radio, ICE agents called Hyattsville police after 12:30 to complain that protesters were blocking the entrances as they tried to execute a warrant for an escapee.

Hyattsville police returned to the area at least twice more that afternoon. They responded to a call from a resident who was concerned that ICE presence would make it difficult for parents to pick up children getting off school buses. According to messages on the HOPE listerv, area parents alerted schools and parent associations to the situation, making arrangements for children from the complex to be met at their school bus stops.

Hyattsville police returned to the area to respond to the property manager’s complaint about protestors knocking on car windows and blocking sidewalks.

ICE agents left the area 4:40pm, after Hyattsville police were seen visiting the property manager’s office and then speaking with agents.

There are conflicting and unconfirmed reports as to whether anyone was detained in Hyattsville Nov. 7, with some information indicating that a determination may have been made that ICE did not have proper authorization to enter the building or make an arrest today. There are also reports that ICE agents briefly returned to Castle Manor Nov. 8 and again left with no one in custody.

Hyattsville police confirmed that officers visited the area several times during the afternoon of Nov. 7 to respond to complaints from different parties and to keep the peace.

An ICE spokesperson emailed the following statement in response to the Life & Times questions: “On Nov. 7, ICE ERO Baltimore was conducting targeted enforcement in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in support of the executive order to make D.C. safe and beautiful again. For the safety of our officers, we do not discuss the details of ongoing, upcoming, or planned operations. There is no threat to public, and residents of the Castle Manor Apartments have no reason to be concerned.”

This story was updated Nov. 9 to include the return of ICE agents Nov. 8.