It’s been freezing outside, but we’ve been through this kind of weather before. Chicagoans know how to prepare for a little snow, some unforgiving winds, and possible “ICE storms.” Here are two local organizations that are working to ensure that all of our neighbors, new and old, know their rights and are aware of resources available to them.
Young leaders in community: Increase the Peace Chicago
In October 2016, a shooting in Back of the Yards resulted in a teenage girl, Naome Zuber, losing her life. Residents and community leaders, with an outpouring of participation and support from neighborhood youth, responded by organizing an overnight campout near the corner of 46th and Wood. Some participants in the campout later formed Increase the Peace, a youth-led organization that carries the camaraderie and sentiment of that event to a series of trainings, anti-violence actions, food access and mutual aid projects, and more.
Increase the Peace now counts six active chapters (Back of the Yards, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, Little Village, and Pilsen). Each group is currently leading efforts in their local areas to let residents and businesses know about their rights in the wake of the ongoing threats of detainment by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
Increase the Peace organizers had already been reaching out to parents and staff in and around Hamline Elementary at 48th and Bishop before Friday, January 24, when people reported that ICE agents were attempting to enter the school (the agents were later identified as part of the Secret Service). Regardless of the incident’s outcome, families in the Hamline community continue to be concerned about the looming threat of ICE, and Increase the Peace has ramped up its outreach and training opportunities.
Group members have spent each day after the incident (and plan to continue in the coming weeks) distributing Know Your Rights flyers and talking to local families about resources.
How to help
Go to Increase the Peace’s website at increasethepeacechicago.org for more information and follow their Facebook page (facebook.com/increasethepeacechicago) for continued updates. Southwest-side families and youth can contact the organization to find out about in-person volunteer opportunities. Right now the group needs funds for printer ink. To donate, go to pledge.to/increase-the-peace-chicago.
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: 1-855-435-7693
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) is a statewide advocacy and direct service organization that was founded in 1986 in response to that year’s Immigration Reform and Control Act. President Ronald Reagan signed the act into law, which introduced civil and criminal penalties to employers who knowingly hired undocumented immigrants or individuals unauthorized to work in the U.S. The coalition runs the ICIRR Family Support Network (FSN), which connects immigrant communities throughout the state with a range of resources from member organizations including legal representation in immigration cases, health care resources, and support to find someone who may be in ICE custody.
ICIRR runs a 24-hour Family Support Hotline at 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY (1-855-435-7693), where anyone who believes they are witnessing ICE activity can call in to report.
ICIRR recommends if you are a U.S. citizen, think you see ICE activity, and feel safe to do so:
- Move to a safe indoor space
- Record the activity with your phone and/or write down any relevant information about what you witness:
- How many people are there?
- Car license plate numbers?
- What badge or identification information do you see?
- What time and date is this happening?
- Where are you seeing this?
- Always be careful to not interfere or otherwise obstruct the operation
- Do not post unverified information on social media
- Do not put yourself in harm’s way
How to help
Download ICIRR’s Know Your Rights fact sheets at icirr.org/fsn. You can also request a training or presentation for your workplace or community group at the same link.
ICIRR also runs the Court Watch Volunteer Program, which was founded in 2007 to provide trained observers to bear witness at detained immigrants’ hearings in Chicago. Volunteers attend hearings (which are mainly conducted online via Webex) and report back to ICIRR’s legal partners who step in to assist, especially in cases where unrepresented detainees need legal help. For more information and to volunteer for the program, email icirrcourtwatch@gmail.com.
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2025-01-28 22:46:35
