Some New Yorkers chanted “shame on you” in response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the city. 

What You Need To Know

Some New Yorkers chanted “shame on you” in response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the city

On Saturday, 1,300 of them packed into a church in Brooklyn to learn how to protect their immigrant neighbors and themselves from ICE

With images of ICE agents breaking down doors and aggressive enforcement of vendors, some New Yorkers say they feel compelled to jump into action

On Saturday, 1,300 of them packed into a church in Brooklyn to learn how to protect their immigrant neighbors and themselves from ICE.  

“I think [the] level of urgency where this could happen to me, this could happen to my friend, this could happen to my family member, has gotten really, really real. And so I think that’s why we’re seeing so many New Yorkers come out and say, ‘I want to do something,'” Hae-Lin Choi, the co-leader of Hands Off NYC, said.

She said that anti-ICE trainings are growing in popularity. 

With images of ICE agents breaking down doors and aggressive enforcement of vendors, some New Yorkers say they feel compelled to jump into action. 

“We really want to make it as low barrier to entry as possible because we know if people have the opportunity to [do] something, they want to do it, and we want to make it as easy as possible.,” Choi said.

Breaking off into groups based on their neighborhoods and boroughs, attendees were able to get firsthand knowledge on what to do if they spot or suspect ICE activity in their community. 

Trainees included retirees, librarians, city employees, parents, teachers and even a familiar face — City Comproller Brad Lander.

NY1 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about the trainings and the possible risks New Yorkers take on by responding to federal enforcement actions and has not heard back. But ICE officials in the past have said that their operations are taking dangerous criminals off the streets.

That’s hardly the view of those in these training sessions.

Others told NY1 that they plan to use the training to help in emergency situations. 

Armed with whistles, know your rights cards and their training, these New Yorkers are now better prepared to respond to any ICE action.