Imagine you walk outside on a Monday morning to head to work and are greeted with the terrified screams of your neighbor, a young mother. Two masked men stand by an unmarked vehicle with guns raised, pointed at the young family of three. You watch as she begs and pleads for mercy, but they take her husband and five-year-old son away anyway, offering no information about who they are or where they are taking them.
You try to yell, “Stop!” but you know it is worthless, instead capturing as much of the interaction on video as you can. You catch your neighbor in your arms as she falls to the ground, crying out for her family.
Though it may be hard to believe, this is the reality for millions of Americans right now, worst of all for those in Minneapolis.
On Jan. 7, towards the beginning of Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) occupation of the city, Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, was shot in the head by an ICE agent while attempting to drive away from the scene. ICE officials and President Donald Trump have claimed it was an act of self defense, stating that she was trying to run over the ICE agents. But video footage shows that her tires were facing away from the agents, making no contact with them.
ICE’s policy states that agents cannot fire at the operator of a moving vehicle unless the agent has reasonable belief that “the operator poses an imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death to the officer/agent or to another person.” The killing of Renee Good violates this policy, contradicting the agency’s mission and causing senseless violence.
Amidst the outrage of nationwide protests following Good’s death, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 while attempting to protect another woman and recording the agents. Again, ICE officials and the Trump administration have argued in defense of this unjust death, claiming he was holding a gun to the agents and threatening their lives. But video footage shows that he was just holding his phone to record the agents, a completely legal action. Pretti had a handgun in his holster, not in his hand, and ICE agents confiscated it while pinning him down before fatally shooting him several times. There was no threat to them but the threat of exposure from Pretti’s video, and that was enough to take his life.
Also last week in a Minneapolis suburb, five-year-old Lucas Conejo Ramos was used as bait by ICE to capture his father. They had him knock on his own front door, and then detained him along with his father. He was the fourth student from his suburb to be detained by immigration officials in recent weeks. Are these really the violent criminals that we need to rid our streets of? Five year old boys in bunny hats?
But it isn’t just Minnesota. ICE agents have been deployed all across the country, from Maine to Oregon. It would be naive to believe that New York is safe from these invasions. In fact, just two weeks ago a New York City Council data analyst was detained by ICE at a routine court appearance. Right now, it is essential for New Yorkers to know their rights if and when they are confronted by ICE.
If ICE is at your door, ask them to state who they are, confirm by showing their badge or ID and show a judicial warrant (signed by a judge). If they don’t have one, you have the right to say “I do not want to speak with you” and not let them in. If they provide one, you will have to comply.
If they enter your home without consent, clearly say “I do not consent to you being in my home. Please leave.” Even if this doesn’t stop them, it may help you with future legal cases.
If you are being detained by immigration officers, remember that you have the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney and the right to an interpreter if needed. You do not need to sign any documents or answer any questions without a lawyer present.
Unfortunately, although you have these rights in accordance with the Fourth Amendment, exercising them may not protect you because of how ICE agents are being trained. An internal ICE memo dated May 12, 2025, recently leaked by the Associated Press, tells agents to only rely on an administrative warrant when performing unwanted searches and seizures. Unlike a judicial warrant, an administrative warrant does not require a signature from a judge, and does not grant law enforcement entry to a private residence without consent.
The beauty of New York lies in its diversity. The food we love, the art we enjoy, the places we spend our time, none of it would be possible without the culture brought by immigrants. New Yorkers must be ready to protect their neighbors and fight back against this injustice. Report sightings of immigration officers in NYC by texting or calling 229-304-8720 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. or going to iceout.org, and use the SALUTE format: Size (number of officers), Activity (what they are doing), Location, Uniform description, Time witnessed and Equipment (i.e. visible weapons). Document what you can without putting yourself or others at risk.
We cannot become numb to these atrocities. What ICE is doing in our cities is nowhere close to normal or okay. The people of our country are living in fear of being kidnapped, injured or killed by a government agency that claims to protect us. Call your representatives and urge them to vote against the upcoming appropriations bill that would increase the budget for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, and fight for substantial change that will help the Americans they have been elected to serve.