As immigration raids sweep across Los Angeles under orders from former President Donald Trump, a network of volunteer-led resistance groups is rising up to protect undocumented communities from what they call “warfare in the streets.” At 5:30 a.m. in South Central LA, a group of volunteers from Union del Barrio gather in a laundromat parking lot. Armed not with weapons, but with walkie-talkies, megaphones, and leaflets, their mission is to patrol immigrant-dense neighborhoods and warn residents about imminent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. “This is like Vietnam,” says Ron, a high school history teacher and activist. “We’re taking losses, but in the end we’re going to win. It’s a war.” The group is led by Francisco “Chavo” Romero, who each morning rallies volunteers before dispatching them into the field. On this particular morning, the streets seem calm, but elsewhere in Los Angeles, ICE agents are already conducting dawn raids. ICE Arrests Surge, Communities in Fear Since the beginning of June, more than 2,800 undocumented immigrants have been arrested in Los Angeles alone, according to the Department of Homeland Security—a dramatic spike from the 850 arrests recorded in May. The raids have prompted chaos, street protests, and rising fear in immigrant communities. Videos of ICE agents tackling individuals at car washes, construction sites, and outside homes have gone viral, fueling public outrage. In Pomona, a Latino neighborhood east of LA, Maria recounts how her husband Javier, who has lived in the U.S. for nearly 40 years, was arrested at work by masked ICE agents. “I know they’re doing their job,” Maria says tearfully, “but they don’t have to do it like that—pushing people down like they’re animals.” Javier is now being held in a detention center two hours away. Their grandchildren, especially the eldest, are asking when “papa” is coming home. “I don’t know what to tell him,” Maria says. “He’s not a criminal.” Volunteers Counter ICE Tactics Union del Barrio’s resistance effort includes identifying suspicious vehicles—like white SUVs with tinted windows—suspected of being used by ICE for surveillance. Volunteers distribute flyers with legal advice and encourage people not to open their doors without a warrant. “People are scared,” says Ron, pointing at a fruit vendor who he says is the typical ICE target: vulnerable and easy to detain. Businesses Suffer, Owners Plan to Hide Workers The fear extends to the business community. Soledad, who runs a Mexican restaurant in Hollywood, says half of her undocumented staff are too afraid to show up for work. “I’ve told them: get inside the fridge, hide behind the stove—just don’t run.” Soledad works double shifts to keep her restaurant afloat amid plummeting sales and no way to cover wages. “Sometimes I cry,” she admits. “We’re desperate.” Trump’s Crackdown Fuels Tensions The White House defends the raids as targeting criminals, but activists argue the reality is far more indiscriminate. ICE agents have reportedly faced resistance—including being shot at—making their operations more perilous. Still, Trump has instructed ICE to intensify the crackdown further. Tensions have only escalated with the deployment of National Guard troops, prompting new waves of protests and confrontations on the streets. As deportation numbers climb, so too does the resolve of resistance groups like Union del Barrio. “We’re not backing down,” says Chavo. “We’re organized, we’re ready, and we’re fighting for our communities.”
