Islip Forward and Uplift Our Towns today announced the launch of the Better Islip Coalition, a new community-led organizing effort focused on building the people power needed to reshape the Town of Islip and shift the dynamics of local power back toward the people who live here.

Kristen Valle will serve as Deputy Director following Joshua Chan's tenure, during which he helped shape the organization's growth and advocacy across the Town of Islip.

In a packed Town Board meeting last Tuesday, residents from across the Town of Islip raised their voices in opposition to the Town’s contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an agreement that allows federal immigration agents to train at a Town-operated shooting range and is set to renew at the end of June.

Sightings were received via Islip Forward's Long Island ICE Tracker in July of ICE and ERO agents training on residential streets adjacent to the Town of Islip Shooting Range, running past daycares, dance studios, and other prominent community areas in military fatigues.