In the early hours of October 2, a South Shore Drive apartment building in Chicago was torn apart by a federal raid. Agents from Border Patrol, the FBI, and the ATF stormed the five-story complex with helicopters, armored vehicles, and flash-bang grenades. Families were forced from their homes, zip-tied in the street—some unclothed—and left outside for hours. By sunrise, all but 37 were released, but residents returned to apartments trashed and a community deeply shaken.
Incidents like this highlight the urgent need for tools that protect and inform. Defroster is an anonymous, open-source app that lets users report Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity with just a tap on their screen. The platform never stores personal data, automatically deletes reports from the server after one day, and alerts communities within a five-mile radius. With Defroster, people can stay safe, informed, and connected—while remaining fully anonymous.
This app needs access to your location to send and receive alerts from nearby users within a 5-mile radius.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is at the door: https://www.aclusocal.org/icenotwelcome
Contact your local board of education and teacher's union to:
Warning: Many jurisdictions have 287(g) agreements requiring local police to work with ICE. Calling local police may result in ICE involvement.
What is 287(g)? Federal agreements forcing local police to enforce immigration law. Currently active in 1,000+ agencies across nearly all states. Only six states have banned them: Washington, Oregon, California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Key takeaway: Know your rights, get legal help, and engage locally. Change happens at the community level.