Left-wing activists are teaching undocumented immigrants how to avoid being deported. They are encouraging them to resist and fight back if immigration officers come for them.
A group in Michigan called *Grand Rapids Rapid Response to ICE* has been handing out flyers at a local library. These flyers give advice like “don’t open the door,” “report the raid,” and “fight back.” The group is funded by donations and is part of a larger national network that supports immigrants. They hold regular meetings to teach people how to help immigrants.
At these meetings, people are told to wear face masks to hide their identities, and the sessions are not recorded to keep their activities private. The meetings last two hours and are held in places like community centers, private homes, and construction sites. Up to 60 people attend. The next meeting in March will teach people how to support immigrants and show solidarity.
An organizer said, “We don’t record these meetings for safety reasons. We don’t want ICE to know what we’re doing.”
The group was started in 2017 to help undocumented immigrants. Since Donald Trump became president again, they have increased their efforts. They are asking local leaders to make their area a “sanctuary city,” which would limit cooperation with Trump’s plans to deport undocumented immigrants.
Gema Lowe, a 52-year-old undocumented immigrant from Grand Rapids, said the group organized a march on the day of Trump’s inauguration to protest his border policies. She said, “We stopped an ICE officer in the city to tell them we will fight back.”
Lowe has lived in the area for 30 years but lost her legal status due to a change in the law. She said the group has support from local leaders who want to make the area a sanctuary zone, protecting immigrants from Trump’s deportation efforts.
*Grand Rapids Rapid Response to ICE* is one of many groups across the U.S. teaching undocumented immigrants how to avoid deportation. Similar groups in Alaska, Texas, and California are also encouraging people to resist ICE and report their activities.
The Michigan group is part of a larger national organization called *Cosecha*, which has thousands of followers on social media. They describe themselves as a peaceful movement fighting for the rights of undocumented immigrants. They organize fundraisers, marches, and campaigns to help immigrants get driver’s licenses.
Despite Trump’s efforts to increase deportations, Lowe said immigration is a civil issue and rejected calling immigrants “criminals.” She said, “Trump is trying to scare people, but we have to resist.”
Under Trump’s policies, ICE has been told to arrest more people, and deportation flights to South America have increased. The government has also warned local officials they could be prosecuted if they don’t follow immigration laws.
Sanctuary cities have become a target for the Trump administration, which has sued cities like Chicago for not cooperating with federal immigration policies. In response, cities like San Francisco have filed lawsuits against Trump’s orders, saying they are illegal and unfair.
