ice raid

FILE - Suspected undocumented immigrants are detained by law enforcement officials in Phoenix after a drop house was raided, Thursday, April 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) (Ross D. Franklin)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A total of five Mexican immigrants have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials after several raids across Staten Island in February, according to Make The Road New York, a community organization with an office in Staten Island.

"Confirmed: 5 New Yorkers taken in #ICERaids on Staten Island," read a tweet by the organization at 5:29 p.m. "Stay tuned for community mobilization. #HeretoStay."

Confirmed: 5 New Yorkers taken in #ICERaids on Staten Island. Stay tuned for community mobilization. #HeretoStay — Make the Road NY (@MaketheRoadNY) February 11, 2017

A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio then retweeted the report at around 7 p.m., adding:

"These appear to be credible reports. Mayor is closely monitoring, along w/ NYPD."

These appear to be credible reports. Mayor is closely monitoring, along w/ NYPD. https://t.co/0ef0aztL0Q — Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) February 11, 2017

Daniel Altschuler, a community organizer with Make The Road New York, told the Advance that all five of the Mexican immigrants detained were males, originally from Mexico -- four of whom have families with children that are U.S. citizens.

The immigration status of the individuals could not be confirmed as of Saturday night.

"Five of these people were picked up outside their homes and outside the courthouse," he said, "in areas of the North Shore and Mid-Island."

Altschuler says the organization confirmed all the details by speaking to the families affected by the organized raids.

"The impact is tearing families apart," he added.

Make The Road New York released a statement to the press Saturday night, stating that the immigrant communities are "here to stay," and will "fight back" against any further ICE raids.

Favio Ramirez, executive director of El Centro del Inmigrante in Port Richmond, says several elected officials -- including Councilwoman Debi Rose and Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- contacted him Saturday evening to make sure he was aware of the reported detainments on Staten Island.

Ramirez says that while the "detainments are alarming," he doesn't want to instill fear in any other immigrants living on Staten Island by describing the latest actions by ICE as substantial "raids."

"We're going through a really tough time in our communities," he said, "and yes, we're seeing an increase in arrests, but we knew that would happen once President Trump was elected.

"But when there are a lot of officials arresting a lot of people at one time, that is a raid. Five arrests in eight days is not a raid."

ICE officials could not be reached for comment as of Saturday night.

An NYPD spokeswoman could not immediately confirm that an enforcement action had been taken.

Ramirez added that immigration lawyers and paralegals will be on hand Thursday night at El Centro del Inmigrante at 6 p.m. to conduct an immigration and deportation workshop for community members.

"They have to know their rights and be good citizens," Ramirez added. "That is the best way to handle any threat of a raid."