WA grassroots group hosts training on how to respond to ICE activity
Community Group Hosts ICE Response Training
Dozens gathered at the Shoreline Library as a local grassroots group held a training session on documenting and responding to ICE enforcement actions. Organizers modeled the workshop after national programs to help residents understand constitutional protections during detentions.
SHORELINE, Wash. - A grassroots organization held a community training session in Shoreline on Sunday focused on how residents should respond if they encounter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in their neighborhoods.
Dozens gathered at the Shoreline Library for the workshop as Washington state experiences a noticeable surge in ICE arrests.
Training focused on safety and documentation
The one-hour session was organized by Seattle Indivisible, an all-volunteer grassroots group. Victoria Allen, the group's vice president, said the event was modeled after a program in Minneapolis where local chapters have trained roughly 30,000 people.
Organizers compared the workshop to CPR training, aiming to equip everyday community members with clear action steps if they witness enforcement actions on their way to work or around their homes.
The curriculum covers who to contact, how to safely assess and document the situation, and how to gather essential information to assist individuals being detained.
Understanding constitutional rights
Allen emphasized that the training helps residents understand their constitutional protections and the rights of those facing detention.
What they're saying:
"If your feet are on the ground in our country, you are entitled to certain constitutional rights," Allen said, emphasizing that public awareness is essential to holding agencies accountable.
The event follows recent ICE activity in the region, including a report from Port Orchard Police on Saturday regarding agents attempting to detain a person. That same day, Washington Congresswoman Emily Randall visited the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.
Next community session scheduled
What's next:
Organizers stressed that public education and resource sharing remain vital tools for community advocacy.
Another in-person training is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Seattle.
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The Source: Information in this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.