In the early morning hours of Sept. 30, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), conducted a military-style raid on an apartment block in South Shore, just 10 minutes from Lab’s campus. According to media reports, agents zip-tied and detained residents, including four children who are U.S. citizens. 

ICE agents claim they were targeting Venezuelan gang members, but that does not align with their actions or with who was actually detained. As Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker observed, “This isn’t making our communities safer; it’s a performative show of force and a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

This was just one of several operations by ICE, which has recently escalated its enforcement in Chicago, in many cases targeting families and children. It all adds up to a deportation crisis — a crisis conducted through hostile ambushes engineered to scare and intimidate immigrants. Whether this affects us directly or not, this is our crisis, paid with public funds and threatening our neighbors. If we care about civil rights, the U.S. Constitution and the city of Chicago, we are obliged to act. This is not someone else’s problem, and our neighbors are counting on us to step up.

Many of us at U-High are already taking action. Latinos Unidos and the Multicultural Students’ Association gathered Oct. 7 to assemble bags with instructional pamphlets and whistles to deliver to the Pilsen Arts and Community House so community members know what to do in the case of an ICE raid. While such unity and collective action is good to see, too much weight falls on the shoulders of affinity groups and cultural clubs to educate the community with little help from the administration. 

There has been a silence from the administration about the issue, meaning that many students are unaware of how they might be able to help. 

In the absence of institutional guidance, here are four things that every U-High student can do as an absolute minimum to ensure they are prepared to help when needed. 

• First, put the number for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in your phone: 855-435-7693. If you see federal agents, call the number and let the ICIRR know. That way, you can help activists track ICE activity. 
• Visit the ICIRR website and download a copy of its Know Your Rights pamphlet, available in over 10 languages. Read it, and print out copies to give to teachers, coaches, family members and neighbors. 
• Consider donating to organizations fighting for immigration justice, such as ICIRR, the National Immigrant Justice Center or the Hyde Park Refugee Project. 
• Finally, when you can, participate in and encourage others in your community to attend protests to help bring awareness to the deportation crisis. Taking these simple steps ensures that every U-High student feels informed and ready to take action. 

Most importantly, do not assume that this issue does not affect you, that someone you know is not directly impacted or that someone else will sort it out. Each of us has the power to meet intimidation and brute force with action, awareness and care.