US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and deportations have increased across the country in recent months. From President Trump taking office in January 2025 through Aug. 6, 2026, 15,709 arrests took place in Virginia alone.
Since his confirmation this spring, the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, has taken a quieter approach to the organization’s operations. However, this leadership change hasn’t slowed ICE arrests; from Aug. 1 to Aug. 14, 1,328 arrests took place in Virginia and Maryland alone.
Every day, thousands of Virginians live in fear of ICE’s looming threat, but there are ways you can show your support for your immigrant neighbors.
Here are some ways you can take action:
Sign a petition
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has many national petitions concerning immigrant rights.
These petitions go directly to Congress and demand actions such as the right to privacy as DHS abuses Flock camera footage, an easier pathway to citizenship for immigrants, and accountability for the killings of citizens at the hands of ICE agents.
For more information on ACLU’s immigrant justice actions, please visit their website.
Share resources with your neighbors
Many resources are available for immigrant families in need. Unfortunately, due to ICE’s increased deportations, many immigrant families are often separated indefinitely. The Keep Your Kids campaign provides aid to help reunite these families.
Keep Your Kids allows parents and guardians to legally delegate a temporary emergency guardian for their children in case of separation by deportation or arrest by ICE.
Tools like Keep Your Kids help prevent children of immigrants from being placed in foster care if their families are detained or deported. You can share this resource with your neighbors at risk by visiting this website.
Volunteer
What better way to advance immigrant justice than to volunteer your time to the cause? Many organizations across Virginia provide a slew of volunteer opportunities to aid our immigrant communities no matter what their needs are.
The national organization Amica Canter for Immigrant Rights provides legal defense for immigrants nationwide. Their vision is one of humane treatment for all who come to this country, and to keep communities strong and unified.
Amica has many volunteer opportunities, from pro bono legal assistance to administrative work. To find out more about volunteering with Amica, please visit their volunteer page on their website.
Looking for a more local organization? The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights (VACIR) is a Virginia-based immigrant justice organization that also provides numerous volunteer opportunities. To sign up and become a volunteer, visit VACIR’s volunteer page on their website.
Have an event to add? Email State Organizing Coordinator Ava Edwards at ava@couriernewsroom.com. Please send details at least one week before the event.
Need more information before casting your next ballot?
Use Dogwood’s voter registration tool below to check your registration status, find your polling place, and stay updated for future elections, so you and your family never miss the chance to vote.
