Amid ICE raids, '#KnowYourRights' efforts share vital information
A meme making the rounds on social media has turned out to be a vital piece of information for those vulnerable to being arrested under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
The new wave of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that began over the weekend, targeting undocumented migrants in major cities around the United States, weren't as large as initially feared, Still, the #KnowYourRights meme being passed around on social media proved to be helpful, if not essential, for those at risk, as additional raids and arrests could continue throughout the week.
Various versions of the below instructions from the ACLU have been floating around using the aforementioned hashtag, providing advice on what to do should someone encounter ICE.
Even politicians have gotten in on the act, spreading information and graphics on their social media accounts.
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The information is reaching those in need, according to an anecdote published in the New York Times. One teenager in New Jersey followed the instructions and, despite persistent knocks on the door from what she believes was ICE, avoided leaving her home.
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The Wall Street Journal detailed similar incidents that occurred in Manhattan and Brooklyn:
In New York City, ICE agents went to residences in the Harlem section of Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood, the person said. The agents were rejected by people at the residences because they didn’t have warrants, according to the person. New York City officials said Sunday there was no indication that they had returned.
The below undated video shows this knowledge of rights in action.
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The raids come on the heels of a volatile few weeks of debate around the border camps where migrants are being detained. Reports of inhumane conditions continue to flood news outlets with many of the Democratic candidates for president visiting the shelters and decrying the near-squalor detainees are forced to live in.
Of course, the Trump administration has continued to downplay these reports. During a recent visit to a pair of detention centers in Texas, Vice President Mike Pence defended the camps. Meanwhile, Trump has hailed the camps as, "well run and clean" despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
There are no details currently as to how many people were actually arrested in this round of raids. According to the Times, approximately 2,000 people in total were expected to be targeted but, so far, there have been only a few reported arrests.
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Even though we still don't know the official numbers, the "#KnowYourRights" efforts, both on social media and via in-person canvassing, have seen a dramatic rise in visibility as warnings for raids have mounted.
And, if these anecdotes are any indication, "#KnowYourRights" is having a big impact in protecting the most vulnerable.
Topics Activism Social Good Politics Immigration
Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
