January 27 Updates

National

• So much has happened in the span of seven days, we can’t fit it all into the agenda. Please see the following article that goes over all executive actions from last week if you have not yet read about them: https://www.alliancesd.org/analysis_eos_2025 

• For a full, comprehensive list of everything the Racist in Chief has done this past week, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/ 

• Particularly devastating is the declaration that all federally funded legal service providers can no longer assist with immigration court proceedings: https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-orders-federally-funded-legal-service-providers-stop/story?id=118027656 

• NIJC has also published this article about the first day of federal actions and what it all means.

• There are already many groups around the country who are suing / challenging the Trump administration's threats. See below for examples:

• https://www.aclu.org/documents/aclu-letter-and-memo-on-the-trump-administrations-legally-baseless-threats-against-state-and-local-officials 

• Organized Communities Against Deportation (OCAD), Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC), and Raise the Floor Alliance filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s plans to carry out raids in Chicago: https://www.raisetheflooralliance.org/sue_trump_sanctuary

• Approximately 956 people were arrested in coordinated ICE Raids nationwide just on Sunday, January 26th (yesterday). https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/ice-raids-deportation-denver-chicago-us/

• This comes just after the DOJ authorized all federal law enforcement agencies to help support ICE in their raids. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dhs-authorizes-federal-law-enforcement-to-implement-trump-immigration-policies/

• ICE Watch Programs Can Protect Immigrants in Your Neighborhood — Here’s What to Know: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ice-watch-programs-immigrants-how-to-start

Chicago

• Rapid response groups around the city have been very busy this past week responding to many false alarms caused by panic and lack of information. There are over 22 different rapid response teams around the city – if you would like to join a rapid response / ICE Watch team, contact your local group to get added. If you do not know where to go for information, please reach out to Emily

• Among the false alarms were, unfortunately, many confirmed ICE Actions this past week. See below for more information on the most prominent that we know about:

• Agents who identified themselves as ICE tried to enter Hamline Elementary School in Back of the Yards on Friday afternoon. When the story was published, DHS clarified that they were Secret Service agents: https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/24/ice-agents-denied-entry-at-cps-school-in-back-of-the-yards/ 

• ICE, DEA, FBI, ATF, CBP, and US Marshalls all came together on Sunday the 26th with Tom Homan (Trump’s “border czar”) and “Dr” Phil (who was broadcasting live) and terrorized Chicago neighborhoods all day, mostly going door to door, staking out streets, and looking for specific people.

• One woman said her father who had been in the U.S. for nearly 30 years was arrested at his home in Waukegan. "They opened the door because they thought maybe one of us was in trouble or something happened to us," said Waukegan resident Yelitza Marquina. "Never did they think it was ICE." More from ABC7 news here.

• “Homan said they were targeting 300 people in Chicago, according to the Tribune. ICE reportedly arrested nearly 1,000 people nationally Sunday, but did not answer questions about how many people were arrested in Chicago.”  More from Block Club here.

• Reports have been made today (Monday the 27th) that ICE is parking in places where day laborers normally wait for jobs. KYR information should be given to anyone you know who relies on this type of work.

• Please be aware that ICE officers will often be driving unmarked cars, sometimes will wear gear that does not clearly mark them as ICE, and will lie and misguide people about who they are. Here is a great guide about common lies from ICE: https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/ice-ruses/

• The Mayor’s Office of Chicago has launched a KYR Campaign in partnership with the CTA. Read more here. They have also launched a city website for Know Your Rights resources.

  • This city website will have KYR events for the week posted as well - here is this week’s list of KYR Events.