A walk through Fremont this week reveals a neighborhood making its position visible. “No ICE Access” signs have appeared in business windows, protest stickers dot utility poles, and lightpole signs calling to defund or abolish ICE are posted throughout the commercial district. Flyers encourage residents to call Senator Patty Murray’s office, providing her phone number and urging opposition to ICE funding.
For some residents, the moment has prompted a turn toward community organizing.
The Fremont Neighborhood Council’s “Meet Your Neighbors” gathering Tuesday drew roughly 50 attendees – a notably larger turnout than the typical 25 people. Several attendees told organizers they were interested in future meetings focused on mutual aid and community connection. Multiple first-time attendees cited recent events as motivation to get more involved in neighborhood organizing.
Business response
“No ICE Access” signs have appeared in windows at Frelard Tamales and Ruckus. The signs inform Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that judicial warrants are required to access private areas of businesses.
Several Fremont businesses are participating in Friday’s National Shutdown while others are staying open to support the Fremont Soupocalypse event and their employees, donating proceeds instead.
Dordlofva Coffee will be closed Friday in solidarity with the National Shutdown. Dordlofva will set up a table in their doorway to serve free drip coffee to neighbors, with donations going to Ballard Food Bank. Staff scheduled to work Friday will receive full wages and tips.
Charlie’s Queer Books is hosting a whistle kit assembly event Friday, Jan. 31, from 5-7 p.m. Participants will assemble kits for distribution in the community. Whistles are used to warn others when ICE is in the area, giving people time to take protective actions.
Backyard Bagels and Joule announced that they will donate proceeds from their Thursday and Friday sales to Twin Cities restaurants struggling to stay open amid disruptions from immigration enforcement operations. More than 70 Seattle restaurants are participating in the fundraising effort organized by Spicewaala.
Seattle Baking Club is running a fundraising raffle through Feb. 1 to support the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, with prizes from local Fremont businesses.
State and local response
The organizing follows two fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis – Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti this past weekend – and ICE arrests in North Seattle on Jan. 7 involving armed, masked agents.
Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown said Monday they’re preparing legal options if similar operations escalate in Washington. Ferguson called the tactics – including masked agents and entries without judicial warrants – “deeply un-American” and “most certainly unconstitutional.”
King County and Seattle signed onto Minnesota’s lawsuit seeking to halt federal immigration enforcement operations in that state, according to the Seattle Times.
Ferguson urged state lawmakers to pass a bill prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing masks except during undercover or SWAT operations.
Community resources
Materials circulating through Fremont networks include constitutional rights information and contact details for legal aid organizations like the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.
The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network is hosting virtual trainings in February on rapid response networks.
According to immigrant rights attorneys, people have constitutional protections during law enforcement encounters regardless of immigration status, including the right to remain silent beyond providing required documents during traffic stops, the right to ask “Am I free to go?”, the right to request an attorney, and the right of bystanders to film law enforcement in public spaces.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has encouraged residents to sign up for ICE mobilization alerts through the Washington Indivisible Network.
Editor’s note: The author serves on the Fremont Neighborhood Council board.
One response to “From signs to solidarity: Fremont responds to immigration enforcement concerns”
I support ICE In Fremont! Illegals OUT NOW.