protest organizers train thousands to observe immigration agents

Protest organizers in the U.S. are currently running large “ICE watcher” or “Eyes on ICE” trainings that teach people how to legally observe and document immigration agents during arrests, especially ahead of major anti-Trump “No Kings” protests planned for March 2026.

Quick Scoop

• National protest coalitions and community groups have launched mass online trainings for volunteer “ICE watchers.”

• Over 147,000 people nationwide signed up for a one-hour online session on January 26 that explained how to lawfully monitor and record immigration arrests.

• More sessions are scheduled, including a follow-up on February 5, as organizers prepare for a third “No Kings Day” protest planned for March 28.

• These efforts have surged after aggressive immigration sweeps in places like Minneapolis, where residents use group chats, whistles, and car horns to warn immigrants when agents approach.

• Two volunteer observers in Minnesota, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by immigration agents in January, which has further galvanized protests and trainings despite the risks.

• Trump administration officials and some federal authorities have labeled certain observers “domestic terrorists” and opened investigations into encrypted chat groups used to track agent movements.

• Civil liberties groups like the ACLU contribute “nuts and bolts” guidance on how to record officials, what rights observers have, and how to de‑escalate encounters.

What the Trainings Cover

These sessions are framed as practical, safety‑focused workshops rather than purely symbolic protest actions.

Key elements include:

1. How to observe legally
   • Where you can stand in public, how far to stay from an arrest scene, and how to avoid obstructing officers.

 * What to do if agents order people to stop recording, including basic First Amendment arguments and when to comply for safety.

2. Documenting encounters
   • Using phones to capture video, badge numbers, vehicle plates, and timelines of an encounter.

 * Quickly sharing verified details with legal hotlines and community defense networks.

3. Rapid warning systems
   • Neighborhoods in Minneapolis and elsewhere use private messaging apps, whistle signals, and car horns to warn immigrant neighbors when immigration vehicles enter an area.

 * Volunteers help coordinate school drop‑offs and grocery deliveries for people too afraid to leave home during raids.

4. De‑escalation and safety
   • No Kings coalition groups have spent the last year teaching protest marshals how to de‑escalate tensions with police, federal agents, and counter‑protesters.

 * Training emphasizes not interfering physically with arrests and avoiding actions that could be construed as obstructing law enforcement.

Why This Is Trending Now

This has become a major trending topic because it sits at the intersection of immigration policy, civil liberties, and street‑level protest tactics in Trump’s new term as president.

Recent drivers:

• High‑risk raids in Minneapolis and beyond
  • Since December, increased immigration operations in Minneapolis and St. Paul have prompted large crowds to follow and film agents, sometimes leading to tense standoffs.

* Local tactics build on earlier efforts in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, where communities previously developed rapid‑response teams to track immigration vans and alert residents.

• Deaths of observers
  • The fatal shootings of Good and Pretti while they monitored immigration activity have turned “ICE watching” into a national flashpoint, seen by some as civil courage and by others as dangerous interference.

• Upcoming “No Kings Day” mass protest
  • National coalitions that organized huge anti‑Trump “No Kings” marches in 2025, drawing millions, are planning another decentralized day of action on March 28, 2026.

* Minneapolis–St. Paul are expected to be flagship protest hubs, alongside other cities nationwide.

• Federal pushback and legal fights
  • Federal officials, including the FBI, are investigating encrypted group chats where residents share locations and movements of immigration agents.

* A recent Department of Justice argument in federal court contends that protesters do not have an absolute constitutional right to observe immigration officers in all circumstances, prompting intense debate in political forums.

How People Are Reacting (Multi‑Viewpoints)

Public reaction is sharply divided, especially in online discussions and political forums.

• Supporters’ view
  • See ICE watcher trainings as a peaceful way to hold a “violent propagandizing regime” accountable by shining light on arrests that might otherwise happen in the shadows.

* Argue that widespread filming of agents will expose abuses, deter misconduct, and ultimately weaken public support for ICE.

* Emphasize that observing, recording, and warning neighbors are forms of community self‑defense, not terrorism.

• Critics’ view
  • Some federal officials and administration allies frame these observers as “domestic terrorists” or “agitators” who provoke confrontations and obstruct law enforcement.

* Online critics worry that mass mobilizations around raids escalate into riots, with reports of rocks and Molotov cocktails at some protests against immigration enforcement.

* Others argue that if protesters have no clear legal right to shadow agents at close range, they risk arrest themselves and complicate already fraught situations.

• Civil liberties and legal scholars
  • Many legal advocates stress that recording public officials in public spaces is generally protected, but those rights have limits when someone physically interferes with an operation or ignores lawful orders.

* They expect more court battles over how far observers can go in tracking immigration agents, especially during mass raids.

Forum & Social Media Angle

The story is gaining traction on forums like r/politics, where users share links to coverage and firsthand experiences from trainings and protests.

• A Reddit post titled “Protest organizers train thousands to observe immigration agents” summarizes that over 147,000 people joined the first training and notes that recordings are available on platforms like YouTube via the No Kings channel.

• Commenters there debate whether this strategy is “the path forward” to expose ICE and erode public support, or a risky tactic that could backfire legally and politically.

• Other threads discuss related issues, like the DOJ’s position on observers’ rights and clashes between protesters and DHS officers at anti‑ICE rallies.

What to Watch Next

In the coming weeks, key developments to watch include:

1. How many people attend the February 5 and later ICE watcher trainings.
2. Whether additional raids and incidents, especially in Minneapolis and other “flagship” cities, increase turnout for No Kings Day on March 28.
3. Any new federal guidance, investigations, or prosecutions involving people who monitor or warn about immigration agents.
4. Court rulings that clarify, or limit, the rights of citizens to observe and record immigration enforcement operations.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.