Massive Groups of Volunteers Are Ready to Face Down ICE at the Polls
From heat maps to Signal chats to war rooms, volunteers across the US are ready to act if federal immigration agents show up on Election Day.
Volunteers across the United States are preparing to monitor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at early voting sites ahead of the midterms. The DHS spokesperson stated that ICE is not intending to deploy agents to polling locations, but the threat remains a concern for immigrant communities. In central Ohio, Liliana Rivera Baiman, an organizer with 614 ICE Watch and the Ohio Good Neighbor Network, has mobilized dozens of volunteers to patrol near early voting sites in Columbus.
They have trained these volunteers to observe and document any encounters with federal immigration agents, sharing the information through Signal and WhatsApp groups. Similar efforts are underway in cities and towns nationwide, with numerous groups working together to protect voters' rights. According to Beatriz Lopez, executive director of Voto Latino, Latino voters are being targeted by the administration, and groups like hers are preparing war rooms on Election Day to identify and debunk disinformation aimed at deterring citizens from voting.
They are also anticipating potential home raids by ICE, which could have a chilling effect on voters.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
