Orange County residents Mobilize to Monitor ICE Activity, Providing Real-Time Alerts to Communities
Santa Ana, CA – A growing network of Orange County residents is actively tracking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in their communities, utilizing live-streaming and rapid dialogue networks to alert neighbors and provide support. The citizen-led effort, which gained momentum this summer, aims to empower vulnerable populations and offer a layer of transparency around immigration enforcement.
Addie Tinoco, a Santa ana resident, became involved after witnessing videos online of detentions in her neighborhood. Her frist direct encounter – filming an ICE arrest on a public street after reports of agents on a county bus – galvanized her to action. “That was really the first time that I felt like really sparked something, because I got to witness it not just through the screen. This was happening in real life, in real time, to a real person in a city that I grew up in,” Tinoco said. “I didn’t want to encounter something like that and not be well prepared.”
Tinoco afterward sought training from community groups like Unión del Barrio and OC Rapid Response Network, and began regularly monitoring areas like a Santa ana Home Depot, eventually connecting with other concerned citizens. These groups,while diverse,are united by a foundation of trust,according to organizers.
The system functions as a decentralized alert network,relaying verified details through multiple channels. “It’s like a phone tree,but for reporting ICE activity,” explained one organizer,Valladares.
Maria Garcia, working with groups in Fontana and Orange County, coordinates reports from the field and disseminates information to those in need. She frequently connects with individuals fearful of leaving their homes, including one recent caller who hesitated to seek hospital treatment due to fear of encountering federal agents.
“We don’t like to spread fear. That’s our main goal,” Garcia stated. “We like to empower people to be able to go to the grocery store or to the hospital. We give them tools so they feel safe.”
The initiative reflects a broader trend of community-based responses to increased immigration enforcement, aiming to provide a crucial support system and real-time awareness in areas with meaningful immigrant populations.
