Solidarity is like Salt: It Melts ICE
Action to Take Today Against ICE Buildup
Here's where we are:
1. The Trump regime is terrorizing our communities with brutal immigration enforcement campaigns designed to test the limits of executive power and the nation’s willingness to stand up against Trump’s power grab.
2. Congress has the opportunity and the responsibility to rein in this lawlessness and stop funneling our taxpayer dollars toward these attacks on our families and our liberties. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) runs out on January 30 and is in active negotiations. Putting restrictions on ICE and cutting off its slush funds in the DHS funding bill is the bare minimum every Member of Congress should support.
3. But Congress won’t act unless we demand it. So today, we call and email and we don't stop until Democrats stand up against ICE abuses. (If you need to know more, here is an explainer).
Your actions for today:
Call both your senators (The Senate needs 60 votes to pass funding, so Dems have a say.)
Call your representative *Call Rep. Mannion and thank him for his No vote yesterday!
Thank you for making these calls and sending the email today! Let's flood the zone!
Take Action in Solidarity with Minnesota Today
Today Minnesotans are stopping work, school, shopping, and other activities to engage in a day of Truth & Freedom. The people of Minnesota have been inspiring us all and we need to support them. We are not holding a solidarity event today, as we have regular rallies on Thursdays and Saturdays --and the weather is especially tough for gathering outside today and tomorrow.
So, what can you do to be in solidarity with the Minnesotans who have been on the front lines of the ICE invasion in their communities?
1) Check out Indivisible's action page and send letters to Target and four other corporations to demand that they stop enabling ICE assaults on their employees and customers.
2) Make those calls to Congress if you have not done so already (see above).
3) Use your social media pages to amplify the power of the people in Minnesota to stand peacefully and non-violently against ICE terror and violence. #ICEOutOfMN. Try Minnesota Indivisible Alliance on Facebook to get started. When you see a social media post or video about actions Minnesotans are taking (peaceful marches, singing, helping neighbors, sit-ins in businesses, etc.)--share it! There will be a lot of media coverage this afternoon. Spread the news that people are standing up together and for their neighbors against Trump's ICE goons.
4) Give to organizations on the ground in Minnesota. This directory of places to donate comes from Minnesota activists on the ground, plugged into the situation. See the list
5) Contribute to organizations helping immigrants in this moment of increased ICE activity in our own community. Mohawk Valley Latino Association has a special emergency fund for families and individuals caught in crisis and in need of legal help, health care, housing, and food (just put emergency fund on the memo line). Or give to support their operations generally. The Center continues to assist refugee populations even when federal resettlement funds have been cut off. Support their efforts.
Rally Updates
Organizers of IMV's Thursday Utica (3:30-4:30 pm) and Saturday Rome (12 pm-1:30 pm) Rallies have sent the following message:
"As the weather becomes more wintery our policy regarding rallies is to advise caution and emphasize safety while allowing individuals to decide.
1. Consider the weather and road conditions each Thursday or Saturday.
2. Consider your safety and well-being first. Another rally awaits.
3. Should you come out, there is no obligation to stay the entire time.
4. Be safe and take care of yourself.
If a rally is cancelled completely because of severe weather, it will be posted on the IMV Facebook event page an hour or two beforehand.
We appreciate you whenever you show up and speak out! "
The Hamilton Village Walkout Rally on Saturday 1/24 2-3 pm has been changed to "Honk & Wave" due to predicted cold weather. Speaker and all tabling to be rescheduled. Hardy folks will still be there "Freezin' for a Reason." Attend for whatever length of time is safe for you.
IMV Immigration & ICE 101 Workshop February 11
IMV is hosting a Zoom workshop presentation by Oneka Roach-Campbell, Esq., an immigration attorney and friend of IMV. Oneka will explain the challenges that immigrants are currently facing and how the rest of us can support them. There will be time for Q&A. We'll have a registration form soon, but for now please save the date and time.
Following this workshop, we plan to host in person and Zoom meetings for our members to self-organize into immigrant defense /ICE response action teams in order to support efforts already underway in our area to build a network as ICE ramps up its presence and activities in the Utica-Rome area.
Save the Date
IMV's Immigration & ICE 101 Workshop
Wednesday, February 11
7:00-8:30 pm
Zoom registration form coming next week
IMV Action Team Volunteer Opportunity
The Politics and Election Group continues to be at the Oneida County Public Market offering Voter Registration and Voting Information. The Market is operating on their winter schedule: every other Saturday. It will be open this Saturday, January 24 from 9 AM to 1 PM and we will be there. To check for any upcoming Saturday, go to https://mohawkvalleyvoter.blogspot.com/ . If you would like to volunteer to assist, contact Diane Berry dbgv13@gmail.com (315) 733-6344.
Utica Immigrant Defense Network Volunteer Opportunity
The Utica Immigrant Defense Network is building up an infrastructure to manage incoming reports of ICE activity and respond to support immigrants and neighbors, similar to the work that the Syracuse Immigrant & Refugee Defense Network (SIRDN) has been doing. You can follow the UIDN's public page on Facebook.
UIDN is in urgent need of volunteers to serve as "On Call Verifiers." This role requires:
1) Quick training on a call within the next week.
2) Living in or near Utica, Rome, or nearby suburbs, where the verifications are needed.
3) Ability to respond during the daytime (perfect role for retired people or those with flexible schedules!)
4) Use of a smart phone for secure communications.
5) Have a car and can drive locally.
This role is low risk. It involves responding to an unverified report of ICE activity by driving to the general location, taking some community safety laps (driving around some neighborhood blocks) and documenting discreetly by reporting back whether ICE is still in the area. It does not require speaking to anyone on the ground or videotaping/filming.
If you can volunteer for this role, please text Jen D. 315-982-1591 by Sunday, Jan. 25th so you can be connected with the UIDN trainer.
Help Blake Gendebien Flip NY21 Blue
The biggest brake on the out-of-control Trump administration would be a House that is run by Democrats instead of by complicit Republicans. Flipping the House in 2026 is essential.
Joe Kish, Blake Gendebien’s organizing director, is in the district full time and ready to get to work! With petitioning right around the corner, Joe has offered to conduct virtual training sessions on petitioning to get Blake on the ballot. He can offer phonebank training and anyone wanting to volunteer to phone bank can start immediately from the comfort of your home! He has scripts to make it easy. Become a volunteer now. "Early Money Is Like Yeast" (EMILY's List slogan)--but so is early volunteering in the form of candidate petitioning and phone banking to likely Democratic voters. If you want to help, call Joe at (313) 590-2242.
Climate Crisis Working Group
Put People Over Plastic! Join the Rally and Advocacy Day on Monday, February 9th in Albany.
Help cut toxic plastic packaging in NY by joining fellow IMV members at this lobby day in Albany to advocate for the legislature passing the Packing Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. The bill has been passed two years in a row by the Senate and has the votes in the Assembly but needs a push to get it onto the floor. Join us in making that push! RSVP here: bit.ly/2-9-26
Once you RSVP, email imv@indivisiblemv.org to let the Climate Crisis Working Group know that you will be there!
Mark Your Calendars for March 25th and April 18th for More Climate Rallies and Lobby Days!
Details and registration information coming in future newsletters. IMV will be joining our ally Renewable Heat Now for the March 25th rally. Both rally days will be in Albany.
Updates from Indivisible & IMV + Inspiration
The official date of No Kings 3 will be announced by the national coalition next week. We know the date will be sometime in late March or early April (not Easter weekend or Passover). The No Kings color will remain yellow.
Blue trifecta states (New York) need to push state and local reps to support anti ICE legislation. Don’t accept excuses that “It’s complicated or lots of legal language.” Call the Governor and your state legislators and demand that they defend individual civil rights and communities from ICE invasions. It looks like Portland, Maine is the next large scale ICE target, and an immigrant/refugee city like Utica in a blue state like New York is not going to be far behind.
Did you hear the good news about the Avelo campaign? After nearly a year, the campaign which was supported by many Indivisible groups across the country, declared victory. Regular people picketing, pressuring local and state electeds in their own cities, counties, and states, and leading grassroots boycotts, have WON. Avelo Airlines is no longer contracted with DHS/ICE to fly human beings in shackles to concentration camps and torture centers. Sometimes when you fight, you win!
We expect IMV to plan a local Indivisible action on Valentine's Day themed around patriotism and love of our Country and Constitution, with lots of flag waving. Messages like “We love immigrants," "We love diversity," and "We love civil liberty." If you are willing to help organize this event along with our Rally Team, email IMV@IndivisibleMV.org.
Many Indivisibles are starting to wear whistles as a symbol of solidarity with Minneapolis. “We had whistles, they had guns,” said Becca Good. We have a large quantity of Know Your Rights red wallet cards and hundreds of whistles on lanyards already, and will be handing them out at upcoming meetings and rallies, but go ahead and start wearing a whistle if you have one!
From Ezra Levin on What's the Plan? "It's wrong to call ICE law enforcement. ICE has as much to do with law enforcement as the Mob has to do with waste management."
From Leah Greenberg (Co-founder of Indivisible) on BlueSky: "The running theme of Trump 2.0:" "The elitest and institutions have folded but regular people haven't." -Jake Grumbach
"Regular people" is US. It's YOU. It's our allies in Minnesota, Chicago, Portland and EVERYWHERE.
Thank you!
Democracy is not a spectator sport.
Website: indivisiblemv.org
Follow us on Bluesky: @Indivisiblemv.bsky.social, on Instagram's Threads.net/@indivisiblemohawkvalley, on X (Twitter) using @indivisiblemv and of course on our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
