Goals of ICE Watch

We do this to protect our neighborhoods from immigration enforcement by ensuring our community members know their rights and have a plan, AND to deter misconduct or aggressive activity by ICE agents.

Primary Goals

1. DOCUMENT

Purpose: To get a better understanding of tactics

Documentation serves multiple purposes:

Track patterns in enforcement activity
Identify vehicles and agents operating in your area
Collect evidence for legal proceedings
Create public accountability

What to document:

Vehicle makes, models, colors, and license plates
Number of agents and their appearance
Exact locations and times
Specific actions taken by agents

2. SUPPORT

Purpose: Community members who are being targeted

Support means:

Shouting Know Your Rights information to detained individuals
Getting the detained person’s name, date of birth, and family contact number
Connecting families with legal resources
Following up after incidents

Remember: Your presence and documentation can make a difference in how someone is treated and their ability to access legal help.

3. DE-ESCALATE

Purpose: To stop violence against neighbors from any law enforcement agency

De-escalation through:

Maintaining calm, non-threatening presence
Keeping appropriate distance (10+ feet)
Using verbal communication to assert rights without provocation
Documenting rather than physically intervening

What ICE Watch is NOT

NOT physical interference with law enforcement
NOT vigilante activity or confrontation
NOT putting yourself in unnecessary danger
NOT spreading unverified rumors that cause panic

Hierarchy of Goals in a Rapid Response Situation

When responding to an incident, prioritize in this order:

Get more help - Alert the hotline/Signal network
Help the victim - Shout Know Your Rights info, get their information
Document ICE and CPD - Record everything
Slow them down - Your presence matters
Make future action untenable - Build community resistance

Measuring Success

Success in ICE Watch isn’t always preventing a detention. Success includes:

Getting accurate information to legal advocates quickly
Helping families locate detained loved ones
Documenting misconduct for legal challenges
Building a network that makes your neighborhood harder to operate in
Spreading awareness so more community members know their rights

Guiding Principles

Safety first - For yourself and those you’re trying to help
Accuracy matters - False alarms exhaust responders and cause panic
Coordination is key - Work with established networks when possible
Respect privacy - Don’t publish identifying information about detained individuals without consent
Continuous learning - Tactics change, so training must continue