How to be helpful with ICE around
Lots of rumors today about ICE activity in and around Harrisonburg. Very little has been confirmed. If you're interested in being helpful to the undocumented community, here are some tips:
- If you see an enforcement event, video record it. Note how many officers, from what agencies, and note the location, date, and time of day. Note the participation of any local law enforcement. Try to respect the privacy of people being detained as much as possible, but share that recording with allies (along with key info). If ICE is no longer at the site when you share the recording, say that too (it's helpful to know when an event is finished).
- Drive by the local ICE office at 282 Neff Ave (next to Comfort Inn and Suites behind the mall) and look for unusual activity. If you see marked vehicles (from federal law enforcement or local police) it's a pretty good sign something is going down. Record if possible. Alert allies with factual details about how many, what markings, and if there is any visible movement.
- Do not spread rumors. If you see or hear a rumor, go to the site where it's supposed to be happening and check it out. Get key facts and recordings to share out. People still need to work, shop, and go to school and fear based on false rumors hurts those who feel they have to hide out as well as our community overall.
- Donate to local immigrant-serving organizations like NewBridges and Church World Service.
Helpful links:
Spread Power Not Panic: https://waisn.org/rumor-control/
Bystander and Observer Guidelines: https://waisn.org/bystander-and-observer-guidelines/
How to Support Immigrant Communities During ICE Raids: https://convergencemag.com/articles/how-to-support-immigrant-communities-during-ice-raids/
Know Your Rights "red cards": https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas