Volunteers Alert Immigrants of ICE Presence with Sirens

As the day began to break, a group of ten people gathered at a shared parking area in South Central Los Angeles, just outside a laundromat and coffee shop. This assembly, now a routine occurrence, had one goal: to scout for immigration officers and alert the community to their presence in hopes of preventing potential arrests. Equipped with bullhorns and sirens, they set off on their mission.

“We’ve heard reports of increased detentions among our community,” said Ron Gochez, who heads the Los Angeles chapter of Union del Barrio, as they divided into five cars. “Let’s stay vigilant and monitor closely for any activity.”

These vigilant community members were part of the Community Self-Defense Coalition, which includes more than 60 organizations. Recently, they had thwarted some operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This grassroots resistance, not only in Los Angeles but nationwide, has created significant hurdles for ICE as the agency strives to fulfill the mandates from the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

“There’s confirmation of ICE presence at the Target store in Alhambra,” announced Lupe Carrasco Cardona on Instagram, broadcasting live from the scene as sirens echoed to grab attention. According to the report, at least six government vehicles were onsite.

John Fabbricatore, a former leader of ICE’s enforcement division in Denver, remarked on the substantial impact such community actions have had. “It creates a risky environment for officers who might be in undercover operations. The advocates’ approach can alert entire neighborhoods,” he explained.

Operating on the edge of legality, these advocates argue their actions are a legitimate exercise of free speech and an effort to inform people of their rights. ICE cannot enter homes by force without a judicial warrant, and this knowledge is at the heart of ‘know-your-rights’ campaigns cautioning residents to not answer their doors.

Throughout the Trump administration, ICE faced resistance from communities using mass communication tactics like blast text messages, social media, and loud announcements to counter their operations. Former border czar Tom Homan expressed frustration when activists in Denver used bullhorns to alert residents of a raid, which Homan suspected had been leaked.

Homan maintained, “Operations should remain confidential to maximize their effectiveness,” speaking after a Denver action resulted in fewer arrests than planned.

ICE directed inquiries to the Homeland Security Department, which has maintained silence on this week’s activities or the coalition’s tactics in Los Angeles. While ICE avoids disclosing daily arrest numbers, Homan recently noted a total of around 21,000 apprehensions, equating to about 600 daily—a figure that significantly outpaces those seen under President Joe Biden’s administration for the same period.

In response to rumors of ICE operations, approximately 150 volunteers mobilized in the Los Angeles area on Sunday. They claimed to have identified ICE activity in Alhambra and San Fernando, ultimately averting arrests.

The volunteers routinely meet before dawn, as they believe this is when ICE movements are most likely. They search through quiet city streets, keeping an eye out for suspiciously parked vehicles, tinted windows, and cars occupying red zones.

Upon sighting ICE agents, they quickly document the scene with their phones, activate sirens, and utilize a megaphone to warn the community: “ICE is here.”

“We avoid violence and respect the law, but we will exhaust every legal avenue to protect our community,” emphasized Gochez.

Returning to the parking lot two hours after Thursday morning’s mission, Los Angeles was starting to bustle with its usual morning activities. A street vendor was just setting up her stand for tamales.

“We’ve received updates that patrols in San Carlos, Escondido, South Gate, and Alhambra report the areas are currently free of ICE presence,” Gochez relayed just before resuming his primary job as a high school history teacher.