The Department of Homeland Security has plans to open 23 detention centers nationwide. We recently learned that two of them would be in warehouses DHS purchased in Pennsylvania, in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. Nearly 12% of all of the 76,500 beds DHS intends to put in the 23 new facilities would be in the two separated by only 25 miles in rural Pennsylvania. The Berks facility would house 1,500 people while the Schuylkill facility would house a whopping 7,500 people. We already know that DHS is detaining people in abhorrent conditions. We refuse to allow the Trump administration to use Pennsylvania's resources for its cruel deportation campaign. Local, state, and even federal elected officials report that they were not informed of the purchases. There were no public meetings or hearings.  Had there been, DHS would have heard moral and ethical arguments against the plans. They would have heard about the lack of services and infrastructure available to serve, in the case of the Schuylkill County location, a prison population 30 times the size of the current local population. They would have heard about the loss of tax revenue of more than $1.6 million that would impact, among other things, the local school districts in both locations. They would have heard about safety concerns, particularly for the day care center that is 300 yards from the Schuylkill County location. Facilities planned in Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Virginia are facing stiff opposition or have already been defeated, thanks to communities and their elected officials coming together to say "No." 

It’s important because ICE policies directly affect real people in Montgomery County and across Tennessee, not just politics. Here’s why it matters: • Families are being separated. Parents are detained or deported, leaving children without stability or support. • Community trust is broken. Fear of ICE discourages people from reporting crimes, seeking medical care, or sending their kids to school—making everyone less safe. • Local impact is real. Immigrants are students, workers, neighbors, and business owners who contribute to Montgomery County’s economy and culture. • Local leaders have power. City and state officials influence how much local agencies cooperate with ICE and can push for humane policies and oversight. • Human rights and dignity are at stake. Fair treatment and due process should apply to everyone, regardless of immigration status. Speaking up matters because silence allows harmful practices to continue. Petitions show leaders that the community is watching, cares, and expects action.

After two horrific killings, multiple children used as “bait” and teargassed, and indiscriminate violence, people in Minnesota and around the country are rising up to get ICE off our streets and out of our communities. As his immigration force grows deeply unpopular, Trump is withdrawing 700 immigration agents from the Twin Cities and has ordered federal agents to stay away from protests. All the while, new funding for ICE and Border Patrol remains up in the air after Congress failed to pass an annual appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The pressure has opened a two-week window to do all we can to ensure lawmakers hold the line and vote NO against DHS funding without critical reforms that protect our communities from ICE’s violence. We’re shifting the narrative on ICE and making elected officials think twice before funneling billions of dollars toward Trump’s violent deportation force. All too often, moments like these are where we see backroom deals and empty promises weaken our position. That’s why NOW is when we dig even deeper to demand Congress hold firm against any blank check approach to ICE’s lawlessness.

After ICE left a trail of violence in Minneapolis, opposition to Trump’s lawless immigration force is reaching new heights. The faces of Trump’s immigration enforcement — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Border Patrol officer Gregory Bovino — are facing heat and consequences, and long-term funding for Trump’s deportation machine is on the rocks. It’s crucial progress — but we have to go further. As critical resistance to ICE’s lawlessness grows, we can’t ignore the network of powerful corporations that help make its violence possible. From tech giants like Amazon, AT&T, and Microsoft, to retailers like Home Depot, to controversial data-mining firm Palantir, their lucrative contracts and corporate collaboration allow ICE to carry out its violent, large-scale enforcement campaign across the country. Without the cloud computing, surveillance software, communications infrastructure, and logistical cooperation these corporations provide, ICE couldn’t function. That’s why we need to speak out and ensure that companies know enabling hate and militarism has a cost.

ICE is not a neutral security force. ICE and federal agents have been militarizing our cities and terrorizing our communities—murdering civilians, pointing their guns at protesters and observers, and kidnapping our neighbors off the street. ICE has consistently met any peaceful protest with more state-sanctioned violence. They’ve abducted toddlers and murdered Minnesotans Renee Good and Alex Pretti. They’re countering whistles and cameras with guns and tear gas. Even when we have video evidence of their violence, they're telling us not to believe our own eyes. The presence of Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of ICE, at the Winter Olympics is allegedly to “mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations.” But we already know the agency has a documented history of making false claims to justify raids, deportations, and politically motivated operations, like the recent kidnapping of Venezuela’s president. Team USA should publicly oppose ICE’s involvement at the Winter Games and ensure that U.S. participation reflects global unity and respect for all, not intimidation and fear. Demand the U.S. Olympic Team opposes ICE at the 2026 Winter Olympics!

Students around Georgia have been missing or dropping out of school due to fear of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Our parents are scared and our families are in crisis. Immigrants make 20% of all people in Dekalb County. They are active members of the community contributing every day and deserve to be protected from the attacks. We deserve to have a safe learning environment in school and feel supported by our elected leaders.  Dekalb County prides themselves on diversity and inclusion, this is the time to show immigrants are included in that diversity. We need to show up for each other and for our leaders to be courageous in the stand against ICE. 

Minnesota families are living in fear. With federal agents menacing our neighborhoods and the horrifying loss of two community members, we need action. The sports team owners who profit on Minnesota’s deep passion for athletics must speak up. Renee Good and Alex Pretti sacrificed their lives to protect our community. The owners of these teams have an obligation to keep their fans safe while representing the values of our community. Minnesotans competing in the Olympics are united with us in this struggle. Team USA curler Rich Ruohonen emphasized, “We have a constitution. What’s happening in Minnesota is unjust.” Vikings legend John Randle passionately voiced his support, stating, “I love Minnesota and stand with my entire community. #iceout.” It’s time for our Minnesota team owners to demonstrate leadership and firmly declare that ICE and federal agents will not be permitted to intimidate fans at games. Additionally, these owners should use their influence with President Trump to convey a clear message: Minnesotans want ICE permanently removed from our state!

DHS under Secretary Noem can be quickly summed up: Impunity. Injustice. Slanderous propaganda. Violence. As out-of-control ICE and CBP agents kill with impunity in our communities, Kristi Noem has proven herself to be utterly unfit to lead the Department of Homeland Security and rein in this violence. Indeed, she’s often spurred it on. We will never get the accountability we deserve so long as Noem is leading DHS, which is why Congress must take matters into its own hands and push her out.

The Constitution guarantees American citizens and immigrants rights and liberties. We elect our leaders to uphold the Constitution and to protect our rights and freedoms; not to look away as federal agencies are given license to strip them away. Currently, ICE and BP officers are disappearing people off the streets and detaining them with no due process, they’re smashing car windows to gain access to people, requiring people to provide proof of citizenship on the spot, and killing people without cause. These actions are antithetical to our democracy, our security and our liberty. We elect our leaders to represent us, the American people, and our democracy not to uphold the extreme tactics of an administration. We need our leaders to fulfill their vows to the constitution. We need our leaders to step forward with courage to protect the people who voted for them and that pay their salaries. We need them to do so now before our precious democracy is lost.

As long as ICE exists, even with "safeguards" like body cameras and training, then we aren't safe.  Minnesota knows too well there is no real solution but to disband ICE.  Furthermore, other solutions to immigration can be found.  Spain announced on January 27 that it is granting legal status to hundreds of thousands of people already living and working there but lacking authorization.  Instead of ICE enforcement, we could do something like that and stop wasting taxpayer money pretending it will help anything to hunt innocent, hard working people down.

We can't let ICE and other federal agents to keep terrorizing our kids and neighbors. DC Council needs to stand up for us NOW. They must ban MPD from collaborating. They must hold ICE accountable. They must use their voices instead of being silent.  

Georgia is fourth highest in the nation for ICE arrests - and it is in no small part because of state and local law enforcement cooperation with ICE/DHS. The Georgia Department of Public Safety - under which the Georgia State Patrol falls - has a so-called 287(g) agreement to cooperate with ICE.