California Conspirators Mobilize Against Immigration Enforcement
As socialists in New York City ramp up efforts to hinder federal immigration actions, they’ve started emulating more assertive strategies from their California counterparts. Recent information reveals that teams of at least five individuals are preparing to disrupt workplaces frequented by undocumented immigrants, including delis, car washes, gas stations, and hardware stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot.
During a rally in Midtown last week organized by the People’s Forum—linked to the Chinese Communist Party—activists encouraged local socialists to form “patrol” teams. These groups would consist of videographers, photographers, note-takers, and communication personnel, all aimed at intimidating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The plan involves each team selecting a specific workplace to monitor, placing signs around the area while they wait for ICE agents to arrive.
“This is really risky,” acknowledged Caleb Soto, an attorney with the National Network of Day Labor Organizations in Los Angeles. “I can’t promise your safety, but using these filming methods sends a clear message. If you keep acting out, I’ll document it. They’re actually quite frightened by that.”
The rally kicked off to an excited crowd of around 200, chanting for ICE to leave. Attendees enjoyed a hearty breakfast featuring items like eggs, French toast, empanadas, and tamales, courtesy of an organization backed by at least $20 million from Neville Roy Singham, a former software executive based in China.
Soto urged the gathering not to flinch in the face of opposition. “When they say, ‘Get that out of my face,’ just respond, ‘I’m not here to intervene. I’m a legal observer,’” he instructed.
He further advised participants to set up encrypted Signal chats with neutral titles to coordinate schedules, ensuring their presence at targeted locations during potential ICE raids.
“Many times, the raids happen quickly, in just 15 minutes. If you’re not already there, it’s tough to respond,” he warned. “We need to be organized; otherwise, chaos will ensue, and they thrive on that. We need to keep it together.”
This approach has been in practice by the Los Angeles branch of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) since June, as shared by one of its leaders during a recent call titled “ICE Melting Solidarity,” which attracted far-left local leaders, including Astoria City Council member Tiffany Caban.
DSA leader Thomas Malone accused ICE of being involved in questionable activities. “In multiple instances, we’ve seen their vehicles lacking proper licensing or having numerous vehicles registered under the same plate,” he claimed.
Starting as early as 6 a.m., the California group, dubbed the “Community Defense Patrol,” is active in Home Depot parking lots throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, Long Beach, and San Diego. They distribute “care packages” containing red “Know Your Rights” cards as they await the federal agents’ arrival.
ICE has ramped up its operations in recent months, initiating raids at various hardware stores across Los Angeles, resulting in confrontations with protesters.
For years, undocumented workers have gathered in hardware store parking lots, hoping to find work from contractors and homeowners, a practice commonly referred to as “shaping up.”
With these locations becoming targets for deportation efforts, many individuals have been apprehended since summer. Border Patrol reports that during a June raid on a hardware store in Sacramento, several immigrants arrested had criminal records, including Carlos Mata, a convicted sex offender who attempted to evade ICE by breaking into a nearby residence and assaulting someone.
ICE has significantly increased its workforce over the last year, launching extensive operations in cities to detain immigrants with criminal histories or those living in the U.S. unlawfully.
Meanwhile, the DSA in New York City is mobilizing around 4,000 anti-ICE activists in anticipation of a renewed crackdown.
