Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale was the Green Party of New Jersey 2017 gubernatorial candidate 

Workers at the Alba Wine and Spirits warehouse in Edison arrived Wednesday to a workplace on edge, a day after federal immigration agents conducted a surprise raid that led to multiple detentions.

On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swarmed the warehouse, checking workers’ immigration status, witnesses said. Those who could verify their status were issued wristbands. Others who lacked valid identification were zip-tied and placed in vans for transport.

New Jersey Spotlight News
By Raven Santana
July 9, 2025

Linson Gillispie, who works at the facility, described the mood on the warehouse floor as subdued and tense. “Where I am working, everyone is low, everyone is keeping low,” he said. “Everybody is on edge right now.”

Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale of the Reformed Church of Highland Park arrived on site during the raid and livestreamed the event on Facebook. One employee, identifying himself only as Diego, shared a harrowing account of his experience with agents.

“They dragged me out of my car while I was on my break,” Diego said. “They were pushing me and harassing me. When I told them to keep their distance, they pushed me to the ground and handcuffed me. They knew I was legal, but they kept running my record trying to charge me with something.”

Kaper-Dale described the scene behind the warehouse: “When we got there, we saw tons of U.S. Border Patrol and ICE vehicles. Mostly large white men with their faces covered, and lots of guns and handcuffs.”

The Reformed Church of Highland Park has long offered support for immigrant families, he said., and its hotline was inundated with calls immediately following the raid.

“Since yesterday, 11 different families — each with someone detained — have called us desperate for legal services and support,” he said. “They’re trying to figure out what happens next, who in their family could be at risk, and how to get through this.”

Kaper-Dale recalled speaking to a woman who recognized the raid from his livestream. “She told me, ‘That’s my husband’s workplace. He was taken.’ They’ve lived in this town for 27 years. Their kids go to school with mine. He’s worked that job for 10 years.”

Carlos Castaneda, a community organizer with the advocacy group Cosecha, said relatives are struggling to locate loved ones. Many were told the detainees were taken to either Delaney Hall in Newark or the Elizabeth Detention Center, but no official confirmation has been provided.

“The biggest request we’re getting right now is for lawyers,” Castaneda said. “Families don’t understand the legal system or what steps to take next.”

Jamie DiNicola, a staff attorney with D.I.R.E. Legal Services, is working with Kaper-Dale and other advocates to provide legal support.

“This could absolutely get worse,” DiNicola said. “Just look at the billions in new funding allocated to ICE. We’re at the beginning of what could become a sweeping crackdown that threatens due process and civil liberties.”

At a press conference Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy said he had little information about the raid.

“Obviously, I’ve said time and time again, we don’t pursue that model,” Murphy stated. “We don’t stand in the way of federal authorities doing their work and cooperating with them all the time. But beyond that, I have no insight into the Edison situation.”

As of Wednesday evening, it remains unclear how many workers were detained or where they are currently being held. ICE has not responded to NJ Spotlight News’ request for comment.