By anti-ICE activist
They still have large numbers of out-state reinforcements, including plates from mostly Pennsylvania, but also NJ, NY, VA, etc. They are using mostly police interceptor units, which are easy to spot. They are not even really trying to hide anymore; they have even had some marked (green stripe) units out.
On Tuesday 10/27, there were at least 10 abductions that we know of, and likely many more. On Weds there were 14 that we know of. A normal “busy day” in Detroit would be 2-3 abductions. There aren’t numbers for the rest of the week yet; because it’s been so busy and people are so fatigued they have not been able to compile the usual reports. Some haven’t showered. One ICE watcher was involved in a car accident due to fatigue, and is currently serving in a dispatch role while showing signs of a concussion (they have no insurance).
Agents have been very aggressive and almost every ice watcher has been kettled at least once. At one point ICE made a call to Detroit Police Department (DPD) saying that they are being followed and “fear for their life”, which if you understand cop lingo you know that means they are setting up legal justification to shoot someone.
Friday agents attempted to enter the Patton Rec Center in Southwest (employees closed the doors), and allegedly a school bus as well. They’ve been sighted around numerous schools, at least one school in Southwest went into lockdown because of an abduction nearby, and agents have caused at least two car accidents on Schaefer near Fenkell.
ICE were seen outside an early voting polling location in Clark Park stopping people who looked undocumented. They also were sighted at Pontiac City Hall while active early voting was going on, and were chased off by an ICE watcher. The ACLU has been notified.
Marked Border Patrol units were seen at the ER of Henry Ford Hospital on Saturday (usually this means they have injured someone to the point of critical condition). A bank in Corktown, and a bakery and a restaurant in Mexicantown both reported drones hovering over their businesses.
Attached is a photo from the Voyageur Academy in Southwest, where at 9am Friday 10/30 one ICE vehicle was spotted by an ICE watcher who attempted to push them out of the area while warning school staff and parents using a loudspeaker. This vehicle had been followed straight from an abduction at Tireman & Livernois. School security closed the gates while the ICE vehicle attempted to “pull over” the ICE watcher, who drove off when the agents stepped out to harass him. He stopped and took this photo seconds later, while a school security guard was telling ICE they had to leave. The agents were then followed by ICE watchers through surrounding areas until they finally got on the freeway.
Today at Northwestern High School, an area where ICE sightings have never been reported before, ICE watchers received a call during a soccer league game that suspected ICE vehicles were in the area, watching. There were two suspicious vehicles found, and were followed out by ICE watch, but they could not be confirmed as ICE. Sometime after this all the soccer people were seen rushing inside the building in a panic and school officials directed them up to the top floor and secured the doors. ICE watchers returned to the area and Detroit Public Schools Community District Police units arrived soon after to chase everyone away. No suspicious vehicles were found this time, but the panicked families (some of which were at risk of deportation) were held in the school until DPSCD Police could escort them to their cars and away from the school. It is possible this incident was the result of a false rumor, paranoia by undocumented families, and panic on the part of rattled school officials who were not used to dealing with this sort of situation before. To make things even worse, a soccer game at Munger School at the same time was also ended early when it received a similar tip.
On Friday the Archbishop of Detroit made a speech at a vigil in Clark Park with Michigan United on the wave of immigrant harassment. Other cities like Oakland and Portland have also been under this same surge, but they have been under it for at least 2 weeks longer than us. It is possible that it will last beyond the elections. I predict Election Day to be complete chaos, please prepare yourselves.
