Social media has become a lifeline for immigration communities. On the popular application TikTok, people have leveraged the networking platform to effectively share real-time information about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in the U.S.
It helps communities to stay notified and safe. The users were found using coded language and imaginative tactics to advise others about coming ICE raids considerably impacting immigration law enforcement efforts.
The Rise of Digital Alerts for ICE Sightings
Since the Trump administration’s ramping up of mass deportations, there has been an upsurge in online activism. TikTok users in California, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Michigan are publishing updates about sightings of ICE wearing “cute winter boots” and “ICE cream trucks.”
In this covert manner, they ensure that such information spreads across the vulnerable population at a rocketing pace.
Besides being coded, many TikTok users are sharing resources including “People Over Papers,” a crowdsourced map of unconfirmed ICE sightings.
They also share legal information, so that undocumented immigrants might know their rights when immigration officers catch up with them.
Community Warnings
According to history professor Daniel Morales, who teaches immigration, community alerts through technology are not something new.
He said in an interview with Axios that immigrant communities have relied on various communication channels for decades. From newspapers during the early 20th century to television and phone networks in the 1990s.
Today, it has evolved to include MySpace, Facebook groups, WhatsApp, and now TikTok.
Although these digital warnings give power to communities, Morales strongly warns against spreading misinformation and then fear-mongering. Morales sends the message that people should verify sources. They share precise locations, and follow reputable immigrant rights organizations for decent up-to-date information.
Public Perception of ICE Raids
As the U.S. government continues aggressive deportation efforts, the public’s reaction to ICE crackdowns remains a mixed bag. According to Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson, initial support is seen for policies related to deportations. But opinions may waver as citizens begin to live with the harsh realities of them.
“The real question is going to be. does that level of support maintain or fragment as they confront the reality of what it means?” Jackson said.
With TikTok as a platform for advocacy and awareness. Social media is yet to be credited as a potential game-changer in the long-running debate over immigration enforcement in the United States.
