Above photo: People protest against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. Adam Gray / AP Photo.
Want to Take Action?
Many of these on-the-ground organizations have been working with immigrant communities for years. They know their needs.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has made it clear that going after immigrants is one of its top priorities. In addition to ICE setting a record high of 32 people dying while in its custody last year, at least three more U.S. citizens have been killed by ICE agents this month.
Over the weekend, as thousands gathered for a general strike in subzero temperatures to protest ICE presence, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti. Just weeks earlier, in the same city, Renee Good was shot point-blank and killed by an agent while in her vehicle. And in Los Angeles, Keith Porter was shot and killed by an off-duty officer while celebrating New Year’s Eve with his family. So far, no arrests have been made and no other accountability measures have been taken.
While ICE continues to harm people in various levels of severity, with what appears to be unchecked power, the agency has doubled in size since last year.
As these ICE raids cause significant displacement by forcibly separating families and inciting fear, communities are self-mobilizing to protect themselves from unexpected ICE visits to people’s homes, schools and workplaces.
And some cities — 10 of them are included here — have felt ICE’s presence more than others. In many of those places, people are fighting back by teaching about immigrant rights, training people on how to watch ICE, and strategizing in other ways.
Here’s your guide to getting engaged locally in 10 U.S. cities deeply impacted by the federal government’s immigration crackdown.
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
Organizations You Should Know
Monarca MN is a coalition of workers, people of faith, business owners and other Minnesotans that is working to protect people’s rights. It has a hotline (612-441-2881) to call if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community.
Immigrant Defense Network is a statewide network of more than 90 nonprofits, grassroots groups, and advocates that are developing new rapid response and movement-building strategies. It is also training people to be Constitutional Observers. Complete the form on the organization’s website for more information.
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota provides free immigration legal representation to low-income immigrants and refugees in Minnesota and North Dakota. Get access to its assistance by calling one of its intake lines.
COPAL, or Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina, is a member-based organization with a mission to improve the quality of life of Latine families. It has a hotline, COPAL Navigators’ line (612-255-3112), for people who have been directly impacted or need support.
MIRAC is a volunteer, grassroots, multiracial, and multinational immigrant rights mass-movement organization. It organizes to make legalization a reality for all people. It also has a list of more resources here.
Events
Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. Central: St. Paul Monarca is hosting an Upstander Legal Observer Training. Register here. It has another training on February 14 at 1 p.m. Central.
2. Portland, Oregon
Organizations You Should Know
Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) is an organization fighting for immigrant justice in Oregon with rapid response, advocacy, and organizing. It has a hotline to call (1-888-622-1510) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community. PIRC is also offering ICE watch training sessions, with daily updates on ICE presence on its website.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) has been welcoming, serving, and empowering refugees since 1976. With over a dozen services covering tax assistance, language services, and more, they rely on volunteers to help accomplish this work. If you’re interested in volunteering to help refugee and immigrant folks, fill out their volunteer sheet.
Events
Feb. 11: PIRC is hosting a virtual Migra Watch training. It has an in-person training on Feb. 28. Links to RSVP will be posted on the organization’s Linktree one week before each event.
3. Columbus, Ohio
Organizations You Should Know
Ohio Immigrant Alliance is a group of Ohio immigrants and citizens working together to protect the dignity and rights of all individuals who choose to make Ohio their home. It has a hotline to call (419-777-4357) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community.
The Human Service Chamber of Franklin County is a membership-based organization representing over 220 health and human services nonprofits across Ohio. It created an in-depth list covering Know Your Rights, food, and immigration resources for those needing support.
ABLE is a nonprofit organization supporting agricultural workers’ rights in addition to other immigrants with in-depth legal support through quality immigration legal services to members of the northwest and west central Ohio communities. It is always looking for volunteer translators. Learn more about being involved with ABLE here.
The Columbus Liberation Center, which opened just seven weeks ago, is a working class hub for education, organizing, and culture, offering ICE Watch trainings and community for people interested in learning more about how to protect their neighbors from unexpected ICE raids.
Events
Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. Eastern: The Interreligious Task Force (IRTF), a Cleveland-based interfaith group promoting solidarity, human rights, and collective liberation across Abya Yala, an Indigenous term for the Americas, is hosting a virtual 90-minute training to learn how to protect your neighborhood, school, daycare, or church from potential ICE raids. RSVP here.
4. New Orleans, Louisiana
Organizations You Should Know
Free the Swamp is a campaign created by grassroots groups from across Louisiana to oppose the militarization and federalization of Louisiana, specifically the deployment of ICE, Border Patrol, and National Guard troops. It has a hotline to call (504-221-1499) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community.
Indivisible NOLA is the volunteer-run New Orleans chapter of the National Indivisible Project, a social movement driven by a shared vision of real democracy, keeping up with local protests against ICE, mutual aid resources for migrants, and more.
Union Migrante is a New Orleans-based grassroots organization committed to empowering migrant families through education, legal support, and community outreach. To keep up with its ICE watch trainings and other volunteer opportunities, follow them on Facebook here and Instagram here.
Events
On Sundays, Union Migrante and United Teachers of New Orleans host a weekly gathering for students and families to discuss best practices to support vulnerable families as they navigate the increased presence of CBP and ICE in New Orleans. RSVP here to find out the time and location.
5. Washington, D.C.
Organizations You Should Know
Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid is a group of organizations and volunteers dedicated to welcoming migrants arriving in the city. It has a hotline to call (202-335-1183) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community. Sign up to volunteer with Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid here.
CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in the working-class: Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. While it wears many hats, it also offers a hotline to call (888-214-6016) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community. To find someone detained by ICE and help them, use this guide.
Events
Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. Eastern: Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, a D.C.-based black-led community defense hub, is hosting a Virtual Courtwatch DC Training to provide training for the community to observe local court proceedings. RSVP here.
Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. Eastern: HWD is hosting its Responders Orientation, an info session to learn how to get plugged in to the D.C. Safety Squad and Harriets Responders. Attend to learn about how it is building community and reimagining safety.
Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. Eastern: The organization is also hosting a Cop Watch training. Register here.
6. Charlotte, North Carolina
Organizations You Should Know
Siembra NC is a grassroots organization focused on defending communities from abusive employers and landlords, ICE, and bad políticos. It has a hotline to call (336-543-0353) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community. To volunteer with Siembra NC and join meetings and organizing efforts to protect your community from ICE, sign up here.
Defend and Recruit, a project of Siembra NC, is offering more direct volunteer opportunities for people who want to be involved. You can join its defense team to receive training to become a dispatcher, support its online tracking, and do ICE watch work. Sign up here.
Events
Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. Eastern: Siembra NC is hosting a virtual 4th Amendment Workplace Training. Register here. It’s also offering an ICE Watch Verifier & 4th Amendment Workplace Training on Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. Eastern.
7. Chicago, Illinois
Organizations You Should Know
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) has been dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society since its inception in 1986. It has a hotline to call (1-855-435-7693) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community. ICIRR also partners with pro-bono attorneys and legal partners in their Court Watch Volunteer Program, where volunteers observe and bear witness at detained immigrants’ hearings. To get involved, email icirrcourtwatch@gmail.com.
Organized Communities Against Deportation (OCAD) is a group of undocumented, unapologetic, and unafraid organizers building a resistance movement against deportations and the criminalization of immigrants and people of color in Chicago and surrounding areas. To get involved and volunteer with them, check out the volunteer sheet on their website.
Events
Feb. 1 at 1:30 p.m. Central: The Northside Lakefront Rapid Response team is offering a Know Your Rights Canvass and Training. Register here. To join The Northside Lakefront Rapid Response team, fill out this form.
8. Los Angeles, California
Organizations You Should Know
California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ) is an organization using coordination, advocacy & legal services to fight for the liberation of immigrants in detention. It has compiled a list of California Rapid Response Networks with hotlines for cities across California. It has listed the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), an organization that helps organize immigrants and their families to fight harmful policies and demand equity and justice from our government. If you spot ICE in your neighborhood, call 888-624-4752.
National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) is a network of people building power with immigrant workers from the bottom up. Their Adopt a Day Labor Corner Campaign is asking volunteers to find out where day laborers and other immigrant workers in your community are at risk of harassment and arrest and go to those places to offer protection for those workers. Visit NDLON’s interest form to learn more about training and participating in this campaign.
Democratic Socialists of America- LA Chapter has offered 33 ICE watch trainings and counting. If you’d like to volunteer to help stop ICE and protect your local community, you can join DSA-LA’s organizing efforts by filling out this volunteer form. You don’t have to be a member of DSA to complete the form.
Events
Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. Pacific: Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) LA Chapter is hosting a Community Defense Strategy Retreat as a part of their Fighting Fascism Campaign, where members will discuss strategies and tactics on their community defense work against ICE and CBP. RSVP here. The chapter will also offer an ICE Watch Community Patrol Training on February 2 at 7 p.m. Pacific.
9. Memphis, Tennessee
Organizations You Should Know
Vecindarios 901 is a newly formed rapid response network looking for volunteers and offering a hotline for Tennesseans. If you see ICE in your neighborhood or community, call their hotline at 901-329-7979. To volunteer with Vecindarious 901 rapid response network, fill out this form.
Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRCC) has grown from an informal network of community leaders into a legislative advocacy-based coalition fighting for immigrant rights in the Southeast. They are also offering a hotline number. Call (615-833-0384) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community.
Advocates for Immigrant Rights (AIR) is a non-profit law firm fighting for the dignity, safety, and inclusion of the most marginalized immigrants through legal representation and advocacy. They’ve created this resource to help find a loved one who has been detained by ICE.
Events
Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. Central: Free the 901, which is a campaign of local and national organizations against the deployment of Federal Agents and the National Guard in Memphis. They are hosting a virtual orientation to discuss ending the occupation of Memphis by the National Guard and other state and Federal forces. RSVP here.
10. New York City
Organizations You Should Know
DSA’s NYC chapter has created a volunteer-run hotline. Call this volunteer-run hotline (229-304-8720) if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community. DSA recommends not using the word “ICE” anywhere in the contact name. It’s also helpful to submit information in the S.A.L.U.T.E. format.
NYC ICE Watch, a community-based rapid response network, is asking community members to use the S.A.L.U.T.E. format (see above) if they see ICE in their neighborhood or community and message its Instagram page directly with sightings. You can also use this ICE Activity tracker resource to report ICE in your neighborhood or community.
Brooklyn Defender Services, a Brooklyn-based public defense office that provides legal representation and advocacy to people facing loss of freedom, family separation and other legal harms, and WITNESS launched a video series called “We Have Rights: When Documenting ICE Arrests.” Watch its video to learn how to document ICE arrests correctly and safely for yourself and undocumented loved ones.
Documented, an independent, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City, has created many resources and guides to help immigrants across New York City. If you’re a Spanish-speaking New Yorker looking for legal, housing, or ICE support, join the Documented WhatsApp at this link to get connected with potential resources.
Hands Off NYC is a mass coalition working to protect against, preempt, and prepare for federal incursion in New York City. To get notified of trainings, events, community resources, rapid response alerts and more, sign up with them here. While Hands off NYC encourages using whistles while organizing against ICE, it’s important to note that Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid and other organizing groups have put out a guide explaining why it can be harmful to use whistles while organizing against ICE and CBP.
Immigration Defense Project (IDP), founded 30 years ago, is a non-profit focused on combatting an emerging human rights crisis: the targeting of immigrants for mass imprisonment and deportation. IDP has been referenced on the pages of most collectives, non-profits, and organizations listed in this guide. For resources, visit their site.
The National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Program is a network of activists, community members, organizers, legal workers, law students, and lawyers providing legal support for protests and movements. Through its Legal Observer Program, the organization trains people to create documentation during events, which can later be used in defense cases, public statements, and litigation. It aims to hold law enforcement agencies accountable for the actions of their officers. Join the local chapter to become a legal observer. You can also email the local National Lawyers Guild chapter for more information here.
The Rochester Rapid Response Network, is also offering a hotline call this hotline 585- 420-6471 if you see ICE in your neighborhood or community.
