civil rights

Espaillat, Velázquez Denied Access to Visit ICE Detention Facilities in Lower Manhattan

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Democratic congress members, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), were refused entry to the 10th floor of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on Sunday, June 8, when they attempted to conduct oversight of the facility amid allegations of “overcrowding, unbearable heat, and people being forced to sleep on bathroom floors.”

Bedford Park: Bronx Victory Memorial Marks 100 Years

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES & SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) and community partners gathered on Sunday, May 18, in advance of Memorial Day, May 26, for an early centennial celebration of the Bronx Victory Memorial, located on Mosholu Parkway in Bedford Park. The memorial was first unveiled 100 years ago on Nov. 11, 1925.

NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy Hosts Meeting in Bronx

By ARIEL PACHECO
The NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy hosted a public hearing on Bronx land use issues at the Bronx Museum of the Arts on May 12. The Commission says its goal is to improve and restore public confidence in City government by enhancing accountability and transparency.

Bronx Week 2025 Concludes in Bedford Park

By MIRIAM QUIÑONES & SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Week 2025 concluded on Sunday, May 18, on Mosholu Parkway in Bedford Park with the annual parade, street activities, and concert finale. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson hosted the lively musical celebration, which featured performances by TKA, Eddie Montalvo, Los Hermanos Morenos, and La Insuperable.

Memorial Day Celebrated Across The Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Memorial Day was formally marked across The Bronx on and in the lead up to Monday, May 26, at various venues and at various events. It comes as the Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire tycoon, Elon Musk, cut thousands of positions at the VA across the country, as previously reported in February.

UPDATE Elected Officials Pay Tribute to the Former Late Congressman Charles Rangel

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Various New York and Bronx elected officials have paid tribute to the civil rights leader and former Democratic U.S. Congressman Charles Rangal who represented New York’s 13th congressional district from 1971 to 2017 and who died on May 26, at the age of 94, when he was succeeded by Congressman Adriano Espaillat. The district covers Harlem and much of Northern Manhattan, as well as the Western Bronx.