Across the United States, a network of city-based activists is forming a powerful bulwark against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. By sharing tactics and resources, groups from Los Angeles to Charlotte are coordinating to protect vulnerable residents, turning localised resistance into a national movement of solidarity.
The Whistle Blows from Coast to Coast
The sound of a whistle has become a potent symbol of community alert and defiance. The tactic gained prominence in Los Angeles in June, when agents first began conducting raids. Organisers with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) LA, like campaign co-coordinator Rain Skau, saw agents targeting day labourers and food vendors at locations like Home Depot, rather than the "hardened criminals" cited by federal authorities.
By the time ICE operations escalated in Chicago in September, the whistle strategy was ready to be shared. DSA members in LA held informal conversations with their Chicago counterparts, offering crucial advice. "You don’t have to do it alone. You don’t have to figure out all of this from scratch, because we’re here to support you," Skau told them.
The method quickly spread. In New York, people wear whistles around their necks; in New Orleans, they are blasted outside ICE facilities; and in Charlotte, residents used them to ward off Customs and Border Protection officials.
Building a National Support Network
This collaboration often happens organically, bypassing national leadership structures. In November, Beth Davis of Indivisible NOLA received an unexpected Instagram message from Indivisible Chicago, warning of possible ICE activity in New Orleans and offering support.
"For an individual chapter that is eight states away to reach out is very unusual," Davis noted. "There just really hasn’t ever been a need before now." This connection led to Chicago mailing whistle kits to New Orleans and helping to lead a remote "know your rights" training via Zoom, which attracted around 800 people.
Established organisations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also facilitate this cross-city knowledge transfer. Sarah Whittington, advocacy director for ACLU Louisiana, described a "chain reaction" where lessons are passed from Chicago to North Carolina to Louisiana. "We’re building depth and expertise," she said.
Overcoming Challenges and Evolving Tactics
Organisers face significant hurdles, including limited media coverage after initial raid reports and the risk of infiltration in digital communication channels like Signal or WhatsApp groups used to report ICE sightings. Phoebe Unterman of the Los Angeles Tenants Union emphasised that ongoing, direct relationships between cities are therefore vital.
Effective responses rely on decentralised networks of volunteers who can react swiftly to tips, as ICE operations often last mere minutes. "The thing in all cities that seems to actually interrupt raids the most is when a neighborhood kind of spontaneously erupts," Unterman explained. "That has really scared ICE."
While these efforts cannot completely halt ICE activities, the solidarity is strengthening the response. For street vendor groups in New York, advice from Chicago colleagues on distributing whistle kits has been invaluable, turning their network into both a strategic and emotional support system.
As Davis of Indivisible NOLA reflects, a profound shift is occurring: "There is something going on here, with all of these cities coming together and protecting our democracy... We are learning more with each city, and cities are becoming more united every step of the way."
