If you hear the sound of a whistle, it could mean that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are in the area.
The whistles have become the latest tool for immigrant advocates and concerned neighbors to fight back against ICE.
What You Need To Know
Whistles have become the latest tool for immigrant advocates and concerned neighbors to fight back against ICE
Volunteer patrols have organized themselves into shifts and broken up the neighborhood into zones
The New York Immigration Coalition posted video of a mother of four children, all U.S. citizens, having their home broken into by ICE agents while sleeping
“It’s three short tweets if ICE is in the neighborhood,” “June,” who agreed to speak with NY1 if we concealed her identity for fear of retaliation, said. “It’s three long tweets if they are making an active abduction or one continuous.”
On Wednesday morning, NY1 joined “June” as she did a patrol in Bushwick. Going block by block on Irving Avenue, June was staying alert while also keeping an eye out for ICE agents.
The volunteer patrols have organized themselves into shifts and broken up the neighborhood into zones.
“We’re constantly having to adapt our tactics and protocol as ICE continues to ramp up their abductions in neighborhoods,” she said.
The patrols have emerged out of concern over increased immigration raids under President Donald Trump and his border czar Tom Homan, who say they’re trying to root out criminals.
“We’re already there now. We have teams there now, but we’re increasing enforcement efforts in New York City,” Homan said Tuesday on Fox.
NY1 didn’t spot any activity on Wednesday, but it was early.
“We’ve seen a pattern start to emerge in the last couple of days and a few weeks of them more frequently abducting people at night,” “June” said.
On Tuesday night, ICE agents were spotted in the neighborhood. A nighttime patrol caught the moment on video. Scenes of ICE officials descending on immigrants have become more common in recent weeks.
“I have my baby, no,” the mother in a video posted by the New York Immigration Colation said.
“Then I’m going to get you by your baby,” the ICE agent responded.
The mother was shouting out in fear after being surrounded by ICE agents last week when she had been home asleep with her four children.
The New York Immigration Coalition says no one was hurt or arrested.
NY1 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on all the recent enforcement actions in the city and has not heard back.
In the meantime, some New Yorkers aren’t waiting to see what happens next.
“Every single person needs to be asking themselves the question of ‘what am I willing to do to protect the people who live next door to me and make the city run every single day?’” “June” said.