Starting a Network
Starting a Rapid Response Network
Section titled “Starting a Rapid Response Network”Building a rapid response network from scratch requires patience, relationships, and organization. This guide covers how to get started.
Before You Begin
Section titled “Before You Begin”Ask Yourself
Section titled “Ask Yourself”- Is there an existing network in your area?
- Who else is doing this work locally?
- What organizations serve immigrant communities here?
- What resources do you have to contribute?
If a network exists: Join it rather than starting a competing one. Reach out, get trained, and plug in.
If nothing exists: Read on.
Initial Assessment
Section titled “Initial Assessment”Your community:
- Who lives in your neighborhood?
- What languages are spoken?
- Where do people gather?
- What are the specific threats?
Your resources:
- Who do you know who might join?
- What organizations might partner?
- What time can you commit?
- What skills do you bring?
Building Your Core Team
Section titled “Building Your Core Team”Finding Your First People
Section titled “Finding Your First People”Start with people you trust:
- Friends who care about this issue
- Members of organizations you belong to
- Neighbors you know well
- Colleagues or classmates
Initial Conversations
Section titled “Initial Conversations”When talking to potential members:
- Explain what rapid response means
- Be clear about the commitment
- Listen to their concerns
- Don’t pressure anyone
Forming the Core Team
Section titled “Forming the Core Team”Your initial team (3-5 people) should:
- Be committed to this work
- Have time to contribute
- Represent some diversity (skills, availability, connections)
- Trust each other
First Meeting
Section titled “First Meeting”Agenda for your first organizing meeting:
- Why are we doing this?
- What does rapid response look like?
- What are our goals?
- What resources do we have?
- What do we need?
- What are our next steps?
Developing Your Model
Section titled “Developing Your Model”Define Your Scope
Section titled “Define Your Scope”Geographic area:
- Neighborhood-focused
- City-wide
- County or region
Start small. It’s easier to expand than to contract.
Define Your Services
Section titled “Define Your Services”What will you do?
- Community alerts
- Patrol/monitoring
- Response to incidents
- Documentation
- Family support
- Legal connection
- Know Your Rights education
Start with what you can do well. Add services as you grow.
Choose Your Structure
Section titled “Choose Your Structure”Flat structure:
- Everyone shares responsibilities
- Decision-making is collective
- Works for very small groups
Tiered structure:
- Admins coordinate
- Verifiers confirm reports
- Patrol members observe
- Broadcast reaches wider community
Most networks use some form of tiered structure.
Setting Up Communication
Section titled “Setting Up Communication”Choose Your Platform
Section titled “Choose Your Platform”Signal is recommended because:
- End-to-end encryption
- Disappearing messages option
- Group functionality
- Free and widely used
Create Your Channels
Section titled “Create Your Channels”Basic structure:
- Admin channel - Coordinators only
- Verifier channel - Verified rapid responders
- Patrol channel - Neighborhood monitors
- Broadcast channel - Wider community alerts
Communication Protocols
Section titled “Communication Protocols”Establish:
- Who can post to each channel
- What kind of information goes where
- How to verify before broadcasting
- When to use which channel
Developing Protocols
Section titled “Developing Protocols”What Protocols You Need
Section titled “What Protocols You Need”- Verification protocol - How to confirm reports
- Broadcast protocol - When and what to share
- Response protocol - How to respond to incidents
- Safety protocol - How to keep people safe
- Vetting protocol - How to add new members
Writing Protocols
Section titled “Writing Protocols”Keep them:
- Clear and simple
- Easy to follow under stress
- Realistic for your capacity
- Updated as you learn
Training on Protocols
Section titled “Training on Protocols”Everyone should:
- Read the protocols
- Practice scenarios
- Ask questions
- Know where to find them
Recruiting Members
Section titled “Recruiting Members”Levels of Involvement
Section titled “Levels of Involvement”Create different entry points:
- Broadcast only - Receive alerts (low barrier)
- Patrol - Monitor and report (medium barrier)
- Verifier - Confirm reports, respond (higher barrier)
- Admin - Coordinate operations (highest barrier)
Recruitment Sources
Section titled “Recruitment Sources”- Partner organizations
- Community events
- Know Your Rights trainings
- Word of mouth
- Faith communities
- Mutual aid networks
Onboarding Process
Section titled “Onboarding Process”New members should:
- Understand the mission
- Receive training
- Know their role
- Have access to resources
- Feel welcomed
Connecting with Partners
Section titled “Connecting with Partners”Organizational Partners
Section titled “Organizational Partners”Reach out to:
- Immigrant rights organizations
- Legal aid societies
- Faith communities
- Labor unions
- Community centers
- Mutual aid networks
What Partners Provide
Section titled “What Partners Provide”- Legitimacy
- Resources
- Volunteers
- Expertise
- Connections
- Physical space
Being a Good Partner
Section titled “Being a Good Partner”- Communicate clearly
- Respect their expertise
- Follow through on commitments
- Share credit
- Build relationships, not just transactions
Training Your Network
Section titled “Training Your Network”Initial Training
Section titled “Initial Training”All members should be trained on:
- Mission and goals
- Know Your Rights
- SALUTE reporting
- Communication protocols
- Safety protocols
- Their specific role
Ongoing Training
Section titled “Ongoing Training”Regular trainings:
- Refreshers on protocols
- Updates on ICE tactics
- New member orientations
- Scenario practice
Training Resources
Section titled “Training Resources”- Create your own materials
- Adapt existing resources
- Partner with experienced organizations
- Bring in experts when needed
Launching
Section titled “Launching”Soft Launch
Section titled “Soft Launch”Before going public:
- Test your systems
- Run scenarios
- Work out kinks
- Build confidence
Public Launch
Section titled “Public Launch”When ready:
- Announce through partners
- Host a launch event
- Open recruitment
- Begin operations
Manage Expectations
Section titled “Manage Expectations”Be clear about:
- What you can do
- What you can’t do
- How to reach you
- Response times
Growing Sustainably
Section titled “Growing Sustainably”Don’t Grow Too Fast
Section titled “Don’t Grow Too Fast”Common mistake: Adding people faster than you can train them.
Better approach:
- Grow slowly
- Train thoroughly
- Build trust
- Expand capacity before expanding membership
Sustainable Practices
Section titled “Sustainable Practices”- Share leadership
- Rotate responsibilities
- Prevent burnout
- Celebrate successes
- Rest when needed
Evaluating and Improving
Section titled “Evaluating and Improving”Regularly assess:
- What’s working?
- What’s not working?
- What have we learned?
- What do we need to change?
Common Challenges
Section titled “Common Challenges””We don’t have enough people”
Section titled “”We don’t have enough people””- Start with what you have
- Do what you can
- Build slowly
- Partner for capacity
”No one’s responding to alerts”
Section titled “”No one’s responding to alerts””- Are alerts reaching people?
- Is the channel too noisy?
- Are people trained?
- Is the commitment clear?
”People are burning out”
Section titled “”People are burning out””- Share the load
- Create rotation schedules
- Set boundaries
- Take breaks as a team
”We’re not sure what we’re doing”
Section titled “”We’re not sure what we’re doing””- That’s normal at first
- Learn from each incident
- Get training
- Connect with experienced networks
Resources for Starting
Section titled “Resources for Starting”National Organizations
Section titled “National Organizations”- United We Dream
- National Immigration Law Center
- ACLU
- Immigrant Defense Project
Training Resources
Section titled “Training Resources”- States at the Core (STAC)
- Local immigrant rights organizations
- Legal observer trainings
Community Defense Models
Section titled “Community Defense Models”- Protect RP (Chicago)
- NYSLYC ICE Watch (New York)
- Local models in your region
Checklist
Section titled “Checklist”Phase 1: Foundation
- Assessed community needs
- Formed core team
- Defined scope and services
- Chose communication platform
Phase 2: Development
- Created communication channels
- Wrote basic protocols
- Developed training materials
- Connected with partners
Phase 3: Launch
- Trained initial members
- Tested systems
- Soft launched operations
- Public announcement
Phase 4: Growth
- Ongoing recruitment
- Regular training
- Continuous improvement
- Sustainable practices