Frontline Dignity was featured in Pittsburgh’s Public Source in the article: 500 show for training in rapid response to ICE in Pittsburgh. From the article:
Following Renee Good’s death in Minneapolis, local efforts to recruit rapid responders to witness immigration raids and arrests are gaining ground.
On a frigid January night, more than 500 people gathered at Shadyside Presbyterian Church to train in responding to federal immigration enforcement in the Pittsburgh area.
The Dignity in Action Rapid Response Training, hosted Jan. 20 by Frontline Dignity, taught participants about their rights and how to minimize escalation when dealing with law enforcement.
Organizer Jaime Martinez said the stakes are rising as the federal government ramps up immigration enforcement in Pittsburgh and across the country.
“What we’re also seeing is immigration enforcement going way into our communities,” Martinez said. “They’re staking out courthouses. … They are staked out in community businesses, local businesses, waiting outside in parking lots. They’re waiting outside in the parking lots of schools.”
The event focused on rapid response — coordinated civilian efforts to witness immigration enforcement activity and support people being taken into custody. As long as they do not interfere with law enforcement, these actions are protected by law. Lauren Leiggi and Sarah Hampton, both Allegheny County public defenders specializing in immigration law, led the training, speaking on how to prepare for rapid response and what to do during a response.
“Through doing public defense and immigration work, I can see how quickly not knowing how to interact with police officers can end you up in jail or incarcerated or detained for a few hours while they clear your name,” Leiggi said.
Click here to read the rest of the article on Pittsburgh’s Public Source.