Chicago, Illinois — Grassroots activists in Chicago have shipped more than 150,000 whistles to cities across the U.S. facing intensified federal immigration enforcement, building an informal alert network designed to warn communities when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are nearby.
The effort, led by organizers Emily Hilleren and Lauren Vega, accelerated after federal agents surged into Minnesota earlier this month. The pair assembled thousands of “whistle kits” containing whistles, illustrated zines explaining how to use them to alert neighbors, know-your-rights cards, and cash donations for local community groups. Volunteers drove supplies directly to the Minneapolis area, where residents organized distribution events.
The initiative grew out of earlier efforts in Chicago and Los Angeles, where activists began using noise-based alerts to signal ICE activity. Teresa Magaña, co-founder of Pilsen Arts & Community House, helped design instructional zines that have since been replicated nationwide. The standardized approach has allowed communities to quickly adopt the system as enforcement expands.
As demand increased, organizers turned to 3D printing to scale production. Volunteers with high-capacity printers produced thousands of whistles at a fraction of retail cost, allowing rapid deployment to cities including New York, Baltimore, New Orleans, and communities across more than a dozen states.
Organizers describe the network as decentralized and responsive, formed in reaction to what they view as increasingly aggressive immigration operations. While Chicago has seen a temporary lull in enforcement, participants say the whistle system is intended to be reusable, with cities supporting one another as federal actions shift locations.
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