ICE Raids and Protest Safety in Chicago

TW/CW: Discussion of ICE Raids, violence against civilians, including protestors

This emergency episode responds to the ongoing ICE raids taking place in Chicago, which have left many in the Chicago communities vulnerable and at-risk. I’m joined by my return guest, friend, and community organizer Jung Messinger, to break down what’s happening right now, how these raids impact community members, and what you can do to stay safe and aware of what is happening. Jung also shares critical protest safety tips, know-your-rights information, and resources to help protect yourself and support others. At a time when fear is high, this episode centers on both urgent action and community care.

Here are additional resources and tips that Jung kindly provided below for your needs, and please feel free to share among folks:

Q&A

* What should people be prepared for when encountering ICE/police/military presence as a civilian? As a protestor?

* US immigration law allows CBP to do warrantless searches of buses, planes, and boats located within 100 of a land or water border → ⅔ of the US population lives within this area

* Civilian Interactions with ICE:

* Many organizations have distributed Know Your Rights info and this can be useful especially as it may empower people to not open doors, windows, etc. BUT our individual rights are only as strong as the federal government decides to pay attention to them

* What is also needed is presence, numbers, and practical support

* Protestor Interactions with ICE / CPB:

* Do whatever you need to do to get grounded / regulated prior to going to an action → breathing, eating, hydrating, stretching, resting, meditating, praying, etc.

* Go with others and make an exit plan → pathway and method for leaving and under what circumstances

* Practice situational awareness → know where police / agents / soldiers are, where they’re moving to, what they’re holding, and whether they’re wearing or putting on gear

* Engage in aftercare for physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and other support needs → rest, food, hydration, grounding, processing, release of grief / fear / shock / etc.

* What safety planning and other resources might you suggest for someone going to an action or protest?

* Assess your own capacity and risk related to the activities and the tactics of the action (disability access, energy, injury, surveillance, arrest) → this will differ for each person, each action, and even within actions → like consent between people, capacity / risk assessment is an ongoing negotiation with yourself and your buddy/ies

* Dress to blend in and reduce chemical injury exposure:

* Dress in black bloc (all black) or grey bloc (“anonymous”, generic, and/or unlabeled clothing

* Wear long sleeves, long pants, close toed shoes

* Refrain from contacts, lotion, makeup, face paint, and/or sunscreen

* Write the numbers for local NLG hotline and emergency contact on your body in permanent marker

* Pack efficient but light:

* Remove bio unlock and location services from your phone

* A few snacks (granola bars, meat sticks, durable fruit)

* At least two sport top bottles of water - one for drinking and one for treating

* The best mask you have (disposable or reusable) plus a few disposable ones in ziploc baggies

* An extra shirt, pants, and/or socks plus grocery bags for sealing soiled / exposed clothes

* Blankets or towels (if you’re driving) to cover the seat from residue on the way home

* Goggles, helmet, heat resistant gloves

* Basic first aid kit, if you know how to use it

* For tear gas and pepper spray exposure:

* It sticks to things and settles on the ground → stay upwind and try to not lay on the ground (for safety) or lean against fencing or barriers

* Flush your eyes and skin with a direct and steady stream of WATER - maalox and baby shampoo mixes are any more effective than water on its own and milk can be harmful because of how quickly and easily it can spoil

* Remove your clothes and put them in a bag

* Shower with cold water - if you have long hair, clean it upside down so that the runoff isn’t running into your eyes or over the rest of your body

* Wash your clothes as soon as possible, keep them in a bag separate from other clothes until then

* What can you do to support the resistance against ICE/federal intervention?

* Join a rapid response ICE watch network: in Chicago, there are rapid response networks on the northwest and southwest sides as well as neighborhood based ones as well → these networks track ICE presence and put calls out to show up and act as a deterrent and/or documenter

* Support mutual aid efforts to get groceries, cleaning supplies, and personal care items to families who are afraid to leave the house and go to the store or who have stopped working

* Show up at the Broadview ICE facility - bring sport-top bottled water, non-perishable snacks, respirator masks - or offer food, errands, chores, childcare, aftercare so that others can protest

* Support campaigns to reduce local police department funding, like the Public Health & Safety Campaign in Chicago

* Source your news from trusted outlets - locally my top trusted news source is Unraveled Press, The Triibe, Borderless Magazine - and don’t reshare resources that just reprint police statements and press releases (this perpetuates copaganda and misinformation)

Resources and Links:

Links to campaigns mentioned in this episode:

* Learn about the Deadly Exchange Campaign: https://deadlyexchange.org/about-deadly-exchange

* Learn about the Campaign to Close the Broadview ICE Facility: https://www.caarpr.org/irwc

* Learn about Chicago’s Public Health & Safety Campaign:

https://publichealthsafetychicago.org

Links to Know Your Rights resources:

* From the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (Illinois & Chicago): https://www.icirr.org/fsn

* From the NAKASEC (national & phone app): https://nakasec.org/resources/know-your-rights

* From the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (national & wallet cards): https://www.ilrc.org/community-resources/know-your-rights

* From the National Lawyers Guild (national & for protests): https://nlgchicago.org/programs/know-your-rights-2

Links to street medic and protest safety resources:

* Treating pepper spray and tear gas exposure: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-to-do-tear-gas-pepper-spray-protests_l_5ed7c902c5b6a4143c45d942

* Tips for protest and action safety: https://www.changethenypd.org/files/tips-street_protest_pepperspray_focus_5-30-2020.pdf