A new wave of digital resistance is reshaping the battle over deportations: A growing number of online activists are using digital tools to monitor and publicize the movements of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, aiming to help undocumented immigrants evade arrest during stepped-up enforcement actions. Sherman Austin, who once served time over bomb-making instructions posted on his website, is now behind StopICE.net, a site that allows users to report sightings of ICE agents and sends alerts to its 470,000 subscribers across the US, the Washington Post reports. Apps like Hack Latino, ICEBlock, and SignalSafe have also emerged in response to President Trump's intensified immigration crackdown, per media reports.
Federal officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, argue that these tools jeopardize the safety of law enforcement by exposing officers to harassment or worse. There have been incidents of violence against officers—including shootings near ICE and Border Patrol facilities in Texas—though authorities haven't detailed how many are directly linked to the online tracking efforts. ICE agents, who often wear masks due to fears of being identified online, say the visibility and speed of social media have forced them to adapt their tactics.
Legal experts note there are few laws protecting officer anonymity, but proposals in Congress could soon change that. Meanwhile, activists like Austin and international allies such as Dominick Skinner, who runs an ICE identification site from the Netherlands, say they're motivated by concerns over civil liberties and the direction of immigration policy. Critics of ICE's methods liken the agency to secret police and point to the use of unmarked vehicles and rapid detentions as evidence of overreach—claims the agency disputes.
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