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Countering ICE
In an era of intensifying immigration enforcement, a powerful counter-movement is taking root across American neighborhoods. What began as isolated acts of support has evolved into a sophisticated, nationwide strategy of community resistance. Local networks are rapidly deploying specialized, adaptable tactics to shield undocumented residents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The movement’s growth and strategies were the focus of a recent American Community Media (ACoM) news briefing held on January 23.
The push for organized resistance comes as the risks associated with ICE encounters reach new heights, permeating residential areas and causing a profound “chilling effect” on public life. Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice, emphasized that the scope of these operations extends far beyond the undocumented population.
“The attacks on immigrants are the tip of the spear on attacks on all Americans,” Cárdenas warned. “This mass deportation agenda [is] affecting everyone, non-citizens and citizens alike.”
Rather than relying on a centralized command, community organizers have developed a decentralized framework. This allows neighborhoods to pick and choose the specific interventions—from legal monitoring to physical sanctuary—that fit their local context.
Legal Empowerment
Siri Lee, Deputy Organizing Director at ONE North Side, noted that in Chicago, the primary focus has been on rapid legal empowerment. She explained that the goal is to ensure “everyone seems to know their rights and not to open their door (and) ask for a warrant.”
In Minnesota, the strategy takes the form of physical protection for the most vulnerable. Amanda Otero, Co-Executive Director of Take Action Minnesota, described their “Sanctuary School” pillars, which involve active patrolling to ensure “ICE stays away from our schools and ensuring that kids can come in and out of the building safely.”
The movement is also focused on exposing the aggressive nature of federal tactics. Ann Garcia, staff attorney at the National Immigration Project, spoke bluntly about the systemic issues within enforcement agencies, stating, “The soul of DHS is rotten to its core.”
Garcia detailed the high personal cost for those who stand as witnesses. She referenced a harrowing case where a community observer was shackled and had her wedding ring cut off simply for asking agents if they were with ICE. This documented pattern of behavior has galvanized legal professionals to move beyond traditional litigation.
“Go to the streets”
Providing historical context, professor Mark Tushnet of Harvard Law School compared today’s resistance to the era of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, where public outcries over “renditions” galvanized the North. He suggested that the law often follows the lead of organized people. “Don’t count on the courts,” Tushnet advised, “but go to the streets and the courts will follow”.
The ultimate goal of this resistance is to reverse the “chilling effect” that keeps families from schools and hospitals. Organizers argue that by providing a structured, collective defense, they can help residents reclaim their public lives.
The urgency of the moment is sparking unprecedented levels of engagement. As Otero observed, “ have never seen this many people get off the sidelines and take action and be in community doing organizing to keep us safe.”
As the landscape of immigration policy continues to shift, these grassroots networks remain the primary line of defense. By treating community solidarity as a series of adaptable tactics, activists are ensuring that resistance can spread faster than the enforcement actions themselves.