New York Community Organizes Anti-ICE Training Sessions to Block Raids

Community Mobilization Against ICE Raids

• 💡 Hundreds of Brooklynites gathered for training sessions aimed at thwarting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
• 😨 Many New Yorkers are deeply concerned by what they describe as aggressive ICE raids and "kidnappings" across the country, viewing them as a disregard for democratic norms and due process.

Strategies for Disruption

• 📹 Participants were encouraged to film all encounters with ICE officers to create a record and prevent false narratives.
• 🤝 Community mobilization techniques were shared, focusing on neighborhood groups to monitor ICE activity locally.
• 📢 Whistles were distributed to rapidly alert others to ICE presence, facilitating quicker community response.

Organizer Goals and Reach

• 🎯 The "Hands Off" coalition organized these sessions with the explicit goal of empowering New Yorkers to block ICE operations.
• 📈 Organizers reported over 1,000 attendees across training sessions in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
• 🌱 The coalition plans to continue these sessions to further protect the community and its residents from ICE actions.

Political Context of ICE Operations

• 💰 The video notes that US President Donald Trump has significantly increased funding for ICE, leading to a surge in arrests and increasingly violent tactics, particularly in "sanctuary cities."
• ⚖️ These enforcement programs have sparked widespread outrage and questions about their legality.