Recommended<\/p>\n
Estrada\u2019s sentencing has sparked conversation about the right to freedom of speech and expression. Zine creators are now cautious about their work, knowing the possibility of federal consequences.<\/p>\n
The circulation of zines in the United States began in the early 20th century with science fiction zines. Counterculture movements expanded the distribution of zines when they noticed its important role in connecting people across the country.<\/p>\n
Estrada was transferred to Federal Correctional Institution, Victorville in Adelanto, California, according to a statement<\/a> on July 25, 2026 from Free Des, a group of organizers supporting Estrada’s release. This prison is only a short drive from the Adelanto ICE Processing Center.<\/p>\n In the \u201870s and \u201880s, zine culture was engraved especially in the punk scene, and across many other cultures, adding an emphasis on aesthetics. This lets artists contribute creatively rather than as an informant. Many zines during this time combined politics, culture, art, and activism into one small publication. The copying machine\u2019s significant presence at that time made zines easier to create than ever. Zines are circulated only through specific networks, so zines are printed in small numbers. The target audience of zines are expected to soak in unique expressions, ideas, and art.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have passion for the people who are often marginalized in our society, and I wanted to give them a platform and help preserve their history,\u201d Isaias Lopez tells L.A. TACO.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lopez is a Los Angeles-based photographer and videographer who grew up in the Westchester neighborhood. He has a background in history. He studied U.S. and Cuba relations and propaganda during his time at Cal State Long Beach. Lopez began photographing in early 2025 after he purchased his Sony A7 IV. What started off as street photography shifted toward documenting social movements throughout Los Angeles. Eventually, Lopez captured the ICE raids that hit Los Angeles last summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was during this time that he was federally indicted for allegedly assaulting a federal officer with his camera during a protest outside of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles. His camera was confiscated for six months, so he was seeking a creative outlet to keep busy. His indictment motivated him to create a zine, \u201cBelly of The Beast.\u201d Lopez faced up to eight years if convicted.<\/p>\n Lopez\u2019s 44-page design included an introduction page and a combination of photographs from events he had attended, like the \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest. One photograph shows protesters marching Downtown by the Los Angeles City Hall while waving Mexican flags and a poster that reads \u201cThe Trump Fascist Regime.\u201d Another photograph displays graffiti reading\u00a0 \u201cFUCK ICE\u201d across a concrete wall in downtown. Above the wall, a group of people stands along a pedestrian overpass, some holding cameras and phones.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The zines were primarily shared through direct messaging, sold at in-person events, or were donated to undocumented people in ICE detention centers.<\/p>\n Recommended<\/p>\n Because he was in the middle of an indictment, Lopez had to be careful of his word choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to be blatant,\u201d Lopez says. \u201cMy language, I had to moderate it, making sure it couldn\u2019t be used against me in the court of law.\u201d<\/p>\n Lopez\u2019s lawyers were a part of his zine review to ensure it was appropriate and not incriminating.<\/p>\n Referencing Estrada\u2019s 30-year sentencing, Lopez says, \u201cI was like \u2018wow, that\u2019s something that potentially could happen to me . . .\u2019 But I did it while I was under federal scrutiny and on probation.\u201d<\/p>\n To block federal officers from viewing the zine he turned his Instagram account to \u201cprivate.\u201d<\/p>\n Lopez says he is thinking about creating a zine focusing on the Adelanto ICE Processing Center because he captured photographs during his visit. Lopez hopes to find balance for his future work.<\/p>\n \u201cI was upset, emotional, I was reactive, but given everything that I experienced, my trial being acquitted, I have calmed down,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Zines (DIY pamphlets or magazines) have been used for decades to spread messages across communities and have become a flashpoint in the national conversation on whether we are truly guaranteed freedom of speech, following the conviction of Estrada for disseminating Antifa zines.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve seen a surge in immigration-focused zines in recent years due to heightened enforcement activity from federal immigration agencies. Now, zines are not only shared physically, but also digitally across social media, direct messaging, websites and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n Zine distribution is not dying, despite the very real threat of harsh consequences. However, the distribution community is not dead.<\/p>\n Before writing for L.A. TACO, Karina Soriano created a pocket-sized zine<\/a> to help Angelenos living in neighborhoods impacted by ICE navigate how to protect their family, stay informed, and help their neighbors do the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhile creating the guide, I was followed by ICE officials, and it was not just for a couple minutes, it was an intentional intimidation tactic,\u201d Soriano says. This happened shortly after her mom had a confrontation with ICE herself.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the help of LA Public Press<\/a>, Soriano was able to distribute these zines with accuracy and proper translations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Although Soriano encountered ICE, she wouldn\u2019t change the way it was published.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is what the community needed,\u201d she says. \u201cI wanted to be able to provide something for the community that I know needed it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhile creating the guide, I was followed by ICE officials, and it was not just for a couple minutes, it was an intentional intimidation tactic,\u201d Soriano says. This happened shortly after her mom had a confrontation with ICE herself.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they did was fully legal, and what I\u2019m doing is fully legal and it\u2019s appalling,\u201d Megan Piontkowski tells us, referring to Estrada\u2019s sentencing.\u00a0<\/p>\n What started off with a BlueSky post turned into a national zine phenomenon. Piontkowski is one of several zine creators who has used creativity to spread immigration focused information.\u00a0<\/p>\n Like others, Piontkowski has asked herself, \u201cIf I see ICE, what can I do?\u201d<\/p>\n Piontkowski is an illustrator who wanted to use her art for something useful; as ICE activity ramped up, she wanted to inform. Her zines provided information for individuals on what they should do if they spotted ICE officials, like the SALUTE protocol.<\/p>\n Her first two zines were distributed in New York and Philadelphia over a year ago. She posted the two on BlueSky<\/a>, where she received a large engagement. Every announcement of a new zine would spark thousands of likes, reposts, and comments. Her zines are distributed through a Google Drive<\/a> where instructions on how to cut and fold zines are posted.\u00a0<\/p>\n On BlueSky, she asked if anyone wanted a zine for their area, and it exploded. So far, Piontkowski has covered communities across 33 states and Washington D.C. Her California zines are divided into Northern<\/a> and Southern California<\/a>.<\/p>\n For Southern California zines, she covers Boyle Heights, Long Beach, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura, and more. Under Northern California, there is information for San Francisco, Sacramento, Alameda, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and others.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI was very happily surprised by the spread of these zines across the U.S.,\u201d Piontkowski says. She had expected the zine distribution to be more local.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it seemed like a high priority in the news, I would do it,\u201d she adds. \u201cOtherwise, as [the requests] came through, I would do them.\u201d<\/p>\n Through BlueSky, she found someone to help her copyedit all of the California zines and someone else to write the Spanish-language version of the zines.\u00a0<\/p>\n Piontkowski keeps the potential consequences of being a zine-creator in the back of her mind. Although she has received mostly positive feedback, someone has asked her to take a zine down because they were receiving spam calls to the ICE hotlines, and they felt her zine was contributing to that.\u00a0<\/p>\n After learning about Estrada\u2019s case, she tried not letting it affect her distribution of zines.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI was horrified by that news, it\u2019s absolutely horrifying,\u201d Piontkowski says, relating also that she is thinking about creating more zines.<\/p>\n Although she has received mostly positive feedback, someone has asked her to take a zine down because they were receiving spam calls to the ICE hotlines, and they felt her zine was contributing to that.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Photograph](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Lopez-march-photograph-edited-1.png\")
Photograph of protesters marching the streets by Los Angeles City Hall in Lopez\u2019 zine. Photo via Isaias Lopez.![\"Photograph](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Lopez-FUCK-ICE-Photograph-1.png\")
Photograph of protesters, photographers, and bystanders in Downtown L.A. included in Lopez\u2019 zine. Photo via Isaias Lopez.<\/p>\n![\"an](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Karina-Sorianos-Zine-Photo-1-edited.png\")
Karina Soriano\u2019s Spanish version of her Los Angeles Public Press zine. Photo via Karina Soriano.<\/p>\n![\"folded](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Megan-Piontkowskis-Los-Angeles-Zine-edited.png\")
Megan Piontkowski\u2019s folded \u201cHow to Report ICE\u201d Los Angeles edition zine. Photo via Megan Piontkowski.<\/p>\n