Thursday, October 1, 2026
Concerns about federal immigration enforcement in Glen Cove dominated the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, with several residents urging city leaders to take a more active role in supporting immigrant community members who they say are increasingly living in fear.
Eight speakers addressed the council, sharing personal experiences, data and appeals for local leadership to respond to the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the city. Council members listened to the speakers, but did not respond.
The Rev. Roger Williams, of First Baptist Church of Glen Cove, reflected on the values that drew him to the city over two decades ago.
“One of the things that I admired from the outset was the diversity that the city had,” Williams, who moved to the community from Baton Rouge, La., in 1999, recalled.
Recent reports of immigration enforcement activity in the city have troubled him deeply, he said. Drawing parallels to historical injustices, he urged local officials to consider the broader moral implications.
“What we are dealing with is making sure that people who were not born in this country are still respected as human beings,” Williams said. “Glen Cove is a city that can be an example that shows everyone that that is what we’re all about.”
Another speaker, Nabil Azamy, described what he said are measurable impacts that federal immigration enforcement may be having on schools, businesses and public services.
“More than a third of Glen Cove’s population is Hispanic,” Azamy said. “Over 40 percent of our households speak a non-English language at home. When that community is afraid to participate in daily life, the consequences don’t stay contained.”
Azamy recalled a June enforcement operation near the Glen Street train station in which four men were arrested, noting that the Glen Cove Police Department previously confirmed that it had no advance notice and did not assist in the operation. Local networks monitoring immigration enforcement activity, Azamy said, have documented additional encounters in and around the city since then.
He also pointed to declining school enrollment as a potential indicator of broader community fear.
“Superintendent [Alexa] Doeschner reported that Glen Cove’s enrollment has fallen to 3,059 students, the lowest in 12 years,” Azamy said, adding that the school district is facing a projected budget gap next year.
Azamy asked the council to convene a roundtable discussion involving city leadership and the Police Department to examine how federal enforcement activity may be affecting the city.
“A serious, focused conversation among the people responsible for governing this city,” he said. “Our residents need to know what to expect.”
Karen Lori Papasergiou, a Sea Cliff resident and a Glen Cove native, recounted an incident she said occurred on Feb. 12, on Grove Street, while she was observing suspected immigration enforcement activity.
Papasergiou said she volunteers as part of a rapid response network that monitors ICE activity and informs residents of their rights. While she was sitting in her car that day, she said, a man in a vehicle approached her and identified her by name.
“He said, ‘Hello, Karen. I see that you’re Greek, and I know where you live,’” she told the council.
Papasergiou said the man claimed that he and others were on the lookout for a reported child molester. She later reported the interaction to the Police Department, which she described as supportive and respectful during her visit.
After Tuesday’s meeting, Glen Cove police confirmed that ICE was looking for a man “who, while in public, was arrested for exposing himself and was masturbating in front of three different women.”
Papasergiou urged city officials not to remain neutral on the issue. “These are your constituents,” she said. “These are members of your community who also chose Glen Cove for a reason.”
After the meeting, the Herald asked Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck to respond to the attendees’ comments. In a written statement, Panzenbeck said, “Allowing people to come to City Council meetings to express their opinions is what makes Glen Cove so special.” However, under New York’s Open Meetings Law, Glen Cove is not unique in letting residents speak their mind at meetings.
