After reading the news or doomscrolling on social media, many of us have begun to feel as if there is nothing we can do about the cruelty of I.C.E. federal agents. Though this is true to an extent (we can’t write the laws ourselves), as members of a democracy we have the responsibility to use our voices. Despite the evident corruption of numerous federal administrations, we can still engage with our state representatives and communities to make Indiana a safer place for targets of ICE threats. Tragically, the well-known assaults in Minneapolis, LA, and all over the nation can not be reversed. But, we can continue to work as a community (as those in Minneapolis have been doing) to fight against these fascist attacks. Below is a list of five important steps to help your neighbors and yourself in this enduring crisis.

1. Know Your Rights

It is widely considered that all people on U.S. soil have certain rights. If you are a citizen or not, you may consider printing and/or distributing one of these red cards with a list of your rights. This advice is not individualized, so if you have a more specific question, you should speak to trusted legal counsel.

They read (in your chosen language) as follows:

• DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR if an immigration agent is knocking on the door. 
• DO NOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS from an immigration agent if they try to talk to you. You have the right to remain silent. (In Indiana, however, you must give them your name (IC 34-28-5-3.5) but you do not have to say anything more.)
• DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING without first speaking to a lawyer. You have the right to speak with a lawyer. 
• If you are outside of your home, ask the agent if you are free to leave and if they say yes, leave calmly. 
• GIVE THIS CARD TO THE AGENT. If you are inside of your home, show the card through the window or slide it under the door.

What you can say:

• I do not wish to speak with you, answer your questions, or sign or hand you any documents based on my 5th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution. 
• I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution unless you have a warrant to enter, signed by a judge or magistrate with my name on it that you slide under the door. 
• I do not give you permission to search any of my belongings based on my 4th Amendment rights. 
• I choose to exercise my constitutional rights.

The local news website Mirror Indy recommends NOT RESISTING ARREST as well. They have more resources for immigrants in Indiana in this article (translated to several languages).

2. Stay Updated and Educated

One of the most powerful things you can be, something that politicians aren’t expecting, is educated. Try to regularly read news from reputable, unbiased news sources: Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio are some good places to start. When you are building your opinion on certain topics, make sure to turn to sources like these that will give you unbiased facts. Social media should not be the only place you rely on for news information, as creators often have personal biases or spread speculative rumors. Always do independent research before joining a political conversation. 

For example, the Indiana Senate recently passed a Republican-backed bill about new immigration enforcements. Senate Bill 76 says that jails must follow a “uniform procedure” when ICE requests someone for pickup. Among several other provisions, employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers will be subject to more enforcement as will state agencies who will now be required to send immigration reports to lawmakers. All Democratic senators provided a “no” vote, though they were outnumbered 7-37.

3. Call Your Representatives

Use the United States Capitol switchboard to be directly connected with a requested federal Senate office. Call the switchboard with this number: (202) 224-3121

Find your state senator & representative as well as their federal counterparts here by entering your address. Their name, district, political party, and phone number should pop up for you to contact. 

Or employ 5calls, a volunteer-operated advocacy nonprofit, to find your state senators and representatives. On a section of their website, they have a script for calls related to demanding the presence of ICE in your state to be removed and one for stopping ICE attacks (the latter will be typed out below).

According to 5calls, the person answering your call or voicemail is most likely to be an intern or low-level staffer, who will write down your complaint into a computer software that will be shown to your legislator. Simply explain (in 2-3 sentences) what you are concerned about and what action you want your legislator to take. Because these exchanges are usually hand-written, stick to one issue per call so that your concerns will be properly documented. If you leave a voicemail, you must leave your full address so that the interns are able to check if you are actually a constituent of the legislator you call.

Below is an example script for a call about ICE from the 5calls website:

“Hello, my name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY, ZIP CODE]. I’m calling to urge [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR NAME] to oppose ICE’s ongoing attacks on both immigrants and citizens and hold this administration accountable for their authoritarian and unlawful tactics. I ask that [REP/SEN NAME] (choose 1-3 options):

• demand full investigations into ICE’s use of deadly force against protesters and their murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, (and)
• refuse to pass any DHS (Department of Homeland Security) appropriations bill that maintains funding for ICE, (and)
• conduct public investigations into the DOJ’s coordinated protection of ICE agents from criminal liability, (and)
• call for the impeachment of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Thank you for your time and consideration.”

One call a day to each representative/senator will be tallied. It is important to call and engage in activism in this sort of way because it holds lawmakers accountable, fuels momentum, encourages decisions, and creates a record.

4. Protest or Boycott

Though currently it may seem dangerous to peacefully assemble, as some protests in Minneapolis have ended in ICE-led assault, there are several other ways to exercise your First Amendment rights.

On January 30th, anti-ICE activists are planning a national shutdown. They call for “No work. No school. No shopping. Stop funding ICE.” The National Shutdown website lists local and national partners including the Defend Immigrant Families Campaign, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and several other local organizations in ICE-heavy locations such as Los Angeles and Minneapolis, according to Time.

If you are interested in specific boycotting, read this list on boycottcitizens.org that includes which corporations you should stop supporting and why. Companies like the ones listed enable ICE and the DHS to fulfill their financial needs.

5. Show Up (for your community)

Join local rapid response groups to support your neighbors.

If you encounter an ICE agent or squad, you can report it to Indy Rapid Response or call 855-589-4639. Make sure that your report is accurate and detailed using the acronym “SALUTE”: Size (how many agents), Activity (what they are doing), Location (address), Uniform (what they are wearing/patches and letters on their clothes), Time (when it happened), and Equipment (what you see them carrying). They will send out a volunteer to verify or debunk reports. This program was inspired by the resources of Siembra NC, a group in North Carolina that has created a downloadable playbook on how to make an ICE watch party in your community.

Attend community events. 

For example, on Friday, January 30th at 7PM there will be a Candlelight Vigil at 10125 E 30th St, 46229 (New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church) to honor the lives lost to ICE violence. The event is being put on by Marion County Young Democrats and will feature words from community leaders, along with music and poetry from local artists. Going to events such as these to remember the victims of cruelty is a way to show support for their families and connect with your community.

Finally, ask questions and provide support. If anyone you know is an immigrant or a person of color, whether they are a citizen or not, they may be feeling anxiety and fear about current events. Have difficult conversations with your family and friends. Ask what they will be doing, and share the resources we have provided with others.

The views expressed in this article are those of writers of the Indy Underground and not necessarily those of Herron High School.