What Chicago’s fight against ICE can teach us all about how to resist oppression | Zoe Williams
In recent months, a poignant podcast has shed light on the profound impact of immigration raids on communities across the United States, particularly in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Following a policy shift by the Trump administration that lifted protections against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations near sensitive locations like schools and churches, the fear of deportation has gripped many families. Teachers report that classrooms are now a third empty, as parents hesitate to send their children to school, fearing that they might not come home. To combat this climate of fear, community members have banded together, employing a range of non-violent tactics to resist ICE raids and support undocumented immigrants.
The Protect Rogers Park group has emerged as a beacon of hope and solidarity in this challenging environment. Their strategies include simple yet effective actions, such as walking in front of ICE officers to slow their operations and using coded whistles to alert the community about the presence of ICE agents. Last month, a dramatic scene unfolded when 50 individuals rushed to a local church after hearing that congregants were trapped inside due to the looming threat of ICE agents outside. This grassroots movement has not only galvanized community support but has also provided critical assistance to undocumented migrants, with volunteers helping to escort children to school and back. The alarming frequency of raids has been underscored by the group’s staggering statistic of receiving 1,500 calls in a single day, highlighting the desperate need for community vigilance and support.
This podcast serves as a stark reminder of the broader implications of herd mentality in times of crisis. It illustrates how fear can paralyze communities, leading to a sense of isolation among those most affected. However, it also showcases the power of collective action and solidarity in the face of adversity. The Protect Rogers Park initiative exemplifies how communities can come together to resist oppressive policies and create a safety net for their most vulnerable members. As the podcast continues to document these struggles, it calls on listeners to reflect on their own communities and the importance of standing together against injustice.
A harrowing US podcast documents a community’s struggle against immigration raids – and warns us about herd mentality
Earlier this year, the Trump administration reversed the convention that nobody would be snatched by immigration and customs enforcement, or ICE, by a school, church or hospital. Since then, teachers have reported classrooms a third empty, as parents are too scared to send their kids in – volunteers walk them there and back.
In the Rogers Park area of Chicago, a group of citizens are organising to resist such immigration raids. Sometimes, it’s simple non-violent tactics, such as slowing officers down by walking in front of them.
Last month, 50 people rushed to a church, where the congregation was trapped, having got word that there were ICE agents waiting outside. Maybe their most evocative tactic is whistles – coded blasts for when a convoy is suspected to be ICE agents, a different code when it’s confirmed. They have numerous accounts of undocumented migrants warned off driving right into a raid, which is galvanising, but they also see and hear dismaying things all the time: vehicles standing empty, one door open, not robbed, merely relieved of their drivers; landscape gardeners arrested off ladders. Earlier this month, the Protect Rogers Park group got 1,500 calls in a day.
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