Cities Across the US Organize Decentralized Responses to ICE Immigration Raids
In September, Chicago spearheaded a coordinated response to ICE immigration raids, implementing know-your-rights trainings, distributing whistles, and organizing patrols at day labor sites and Home Depot locations. These efforts aimed to document ICE activity and assist detainees.
The tactic of using whistles as raid-alert tools originated in Chicago and rapidly spread to other cities such as New York, New Orleans, Charlotte, and Los Angeles, which began adopting the method earlier in June. An informal exchange of strategies took place, particularly between Los Angeles and Chicago, fostering a collective understanding among organizers that they need not act alone.
Indivisible chapters facilitated connections between cities, such as between Chicago and New Orleans, by providing whistle kits and remotely-led know-your-rights trainings, which attracted about 800 attendees in New Orleans. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) played a key role in promoting cross-state knowledge transfer among Louisiana, North Carolina, and Illinois, strengthening local capabilities and expertise.
Street vendor groups across multiple cities also linked up to share experiences and guidance. New York vendors, facing heightened surveillance, received advice on distinguishing city from federal agents, alongside distributions of whistle kits.
A decentralized, neighborhood-based response model emerged with cells of volunteers operating across blocks to swiftly react to ICE sightings through tip networks. However, concerns arose about potential infiltration via messaging apps, highlighting ongoing security challenges in maintaining effective coordination among these grassroots efforts.
