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While deportation efforts ramp up nationwide as part of the Trump administration’s effort to crack down on immigration, a Los Angeles-based group is doing patrols of its own to look out for its community.
A handful of volunteers patrolled throughout South LA on Wednesday to look out for immigration officers. The volunteers, which is comprised of activists organized by Community Self Defense Coalition, say their mission is to alert the public of the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and inform residents of their rights.
“We are really trying today to ensure that no families are disrupted and separated,” said Lupe Carrasco, who is part of the group.
One of the Trump administration’s priorities includes deporting undocumented immigrants. The president has stopped support for legal representation in immigration court for children, posted what he described as “ASMR” of deportation footage and ended the CBP One app, which allowed people to legally enter the U.S. with eligibility to work.
The White House’s harsh stance on immigration has prompted some Southern California school districts to assure students of their safety.
“Children are afraid to go to school because they fear their parents might be deported,” said John Parker, who is part of the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice.
When the volunteer group scopes out ICE agents, they look out for tinted SUVs without license plates or exempt plates. When they believe they’ve spotted immigration agents, patrol members livestream their location. Additionally, they pass out cards that remind residents of their rights.
“We are not obstructing, we are reminding people that they have rights and that they should defend them,” Carrasco said.
The group added that it’s exercising its First Amendment rights and hoping the public attention will deter agents.
NBC4 reached out to ICE for comment on the patrols, but it did not respond.
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