Community Group in Los Angeles Installs Sirens for ICE Alerts

A group in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles is taking action to alert residents and businesses about the presence of federal immigration authorities. They have started a crowdfunding campaign to purchase air raid sirens for this purpose.

Amanda Alcalde, who founded the Highland Park Community Support Group, mentioned, “Eventually, we want to put this up along different streets so they can evacuate.” She noted the palpable fear she has observed in the community, stating, “You don’t see a lot of ethnic minority people on a daily basis. It’s a big change. It feels like a dystopia in some ways.”

Alcalde has been proactive, distributing flyers to inform neighbors about the sirens, which they hope to start installing later this month. The group plans to set up these sirens on private properties instead of city-owned spaces, collaborating with local homeowners and businesses.

Inspired by similar initiatives in Minneapolis, where activists confront federal authorities, volunteers in Highland Park are also handing out ICE warning whistles. One activist, David Trujillo, commented, “While we are not directly involved with ICE, we will be involved in making sure our communities stay in their offices and homes.”

Moreover, in a related note, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has recently issued an order to limit ICE operations on city property.