Author: Slingshot robot #1

By Immigrant Defense Project (immigrantdefenseproject.org)

Who is at risk of being arrested by ICE?

The law allows the federal government to deport certain immigrants, including anyone without lawful immigration status or people with status who have certain criminal convictions. 

If I know I’m at risk, what can I do?

• Make a plan with your loved ones!

• Avoid contact with Immigration – don’t apply to change your immigration status or to renew your greencard and don’t travel outside of the United States without talking to a lawyer first!

• Avoid contact with the Criminal Justice System which can share your fingerprints with ICE!

What should I do if ICE agents approach me on the street or in public?

• Before you say your name or anything else, ask, “AM I FREE TO GO?”

• If they say YES: Say, “I don’t want to answer your questions.” Walk away.

• If they say NO: Use your right to remain silent! Say, “I want to use my right not to answer questions” and then “I want to speak to a lawyer.”

• If ICE starts to search inside your pockets or belongings, say, “I do not consent to a search.”

• DON’T LIE or show false documents. Don’t flee or resist arrest.

• Don’t answer questions about your immigration status or where you were born. They will use any information you provide against you. Do not hand over any foreign documents such as a passport, consular IDs, or expired visas.

If officers come to my home, will I know they are from ICE?

Not always! Beware: ICE agents often pretend to be police and say they want to talk to you about identity theft or an ongoing investigation.

Can ICE agents enter my home to arrest me?

If ICE agents do not have a warrant signed by a judge, they cannot legally enter a home without permission from an adult. Opening the door does not give them permission to enter your home.

So, what do I do if officers are at my door?

• Find out if they are from DHS or ICE. Try to stay calm. Say “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

• Politely ask to see a warrant signed by a judge and to slip it under the door. If they don’t

have one, decline to let them in.

• If they are looking for someone else, ask them to leave contact information. You don’t have to tell them where to find the person and you should not lie.

What can I do if ICE is inside my home to make an arrest?

• Tell them if there are children or other vulnerable residents at home.

• Ask them to step outside unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

• If they came inside without your permission, tell them “I do not consent to you being in my home. Please leave.”

• If they start to search rooms or items in your home, tell them “I do not consent to your search.”

• If ICE is arresting you, tell them if you have medical issues or need to arrange for childcare.

What are my rights if I am being arrested by ICE?

• You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to speak to a lawyer.

• DO NOT LIE. It can only hurt you in the future.

• You do NOT have to share any information about where you were born, what your immigration status is, or your criminal record. Ask to speak to a lawyer instead of answering questions.

• You do NOT have to give them your consular documents or passport unless they have a warrant from a judge.

• You do not have to sign anything.

Para leer esta información sobre ICE en español visite: immigrantdefenseproject.org/conozca-sus-derechos-con-ice/

Community is necessary for both activism and mutual aid. Building and maintaining it is a radical act! This can take many forms, and we encourage you to come up with your own plans and shenanigans. But since this is an organizer, here are a few structured ideas from Slingshot!

• Have a real conversation with someone of a very different age on your street

☐ I talked about _________________________ with ___________________________

• Fix or prettify some piece of public infrastructure (pothole, trashcan, sign, etc)

☐ I made __________________ better by ___________________________________

• Make and distribute flyers for a cause or event

☐ I distributed flyers for _____________________ at ___________________________

• Get to know someone who works nearby. What’s their family like?

☐ I met _____________________ and should remember ________________________

• Write an article for a local newspaper (or Slingshot!!!)

☐ I submitted an article about ___________________________ to ________________

• Borrow something silly from a neighbor (even better if you don’t know them!)

☐I borrowed ________________________ from _______________________________

• Make a very large batch of food, and offer some to at least two neighbors

☐ I made _________________________ and gave it to _________________________

• Create a provocative piece of art in your neighborhood 

☐ I made ______________________________________________________________

• Create a new routine meeting/hobby group (book club? knitting circle? …?)

☐ We meet every ________________________ to _____________________________

• Meet someone at a protest event. Get their contact info, and discuss some future mischief you can make together

☐ I met _________________________ who can be contacted at _________________ 

• Attend a local government meeting. Choose your own adventure: Introduce yourself to a council member, tell them something you liked about what they said, and make a polite, concrete ask, OR get kicked out for screaming about how fucked up something is! 

☐ I got kicked out for / introduced myself to __________________________________

• Make a power map of your town or neighborhood. What corporations, organizations, and elected positions are actively influencing local policy? What local groups, churches, or organizations are getting shit done? 

☐ I was surprised to find that _____________________________________________ is _______________________________________________________________________

In the face of escalating fascism, we take our health into our own hands. Whether you live in a banned state, are at risk of healthcare racism, or just broke — self-managed abortion with pills (SMA or medication abortion) is available. 

To learn more about SMA, visit plancpills.org

What is SMA? Self-managed abortions are safe & effective methods of care when someone does not want to be pregnant. The medications involved are mifepristone and misoprostol (using just misoprostol works too!).

How To: a quick & dirty summary of SMA ! 

1. Swallow one (1) mifepristone like a regular pill. 
2. Wait 24 hours! You may have spotting. 
3. Take 700-1000 mg of acetaminophen for pain prep. 
4. Dissolve 4 misoprostol pills in your cheek between the gum and lower teeth for 30 minutes; swallow the remainder.
5. Bleeding/cramping usually within 4 hrs; pregnancy passes usually within 24 hrs of taking misoprostol.

Later than 10 weeks? Repeat Step 4 after 4 hours!

Tips & Safety: Remember your digital security!

• Use: maxi pads or diapers, pain medications, comfort foods & water, heat pad, tea, a friend ❤️

• DO NOT use: tampons, public web browsers or social media apps to discuss abortion. 

Do not take abortion pills with an IUD! 

•Aftercare: For support during or after, text M+A hotline: 1-833-246-2632 

Sourcing Medication:

• Visit plancpills.org or aidaccess.org on private web browser 

• U.S.: contact redstatereferences@proton.me 

• MX: contact LasLibresGTO@proton.me for package. 

• abortionpillinfo.org

• mahotline.org

Considering other options? → visit: all-options.org !

Abortion pills are 98% effective when used in the first trimester. Medication abortions in the US are extremely common — over 65% of all abortions overall are with pills). These are the same pills you would get in a clinic: they can be sent by mail and taken at home, as is done by millions of people around the world each year. The first pill, Mifepristone, is taken to block the hormone progesterone which is important for maintaining a pregnancy. Then, 24 hours later, 4 misoprostol pills are taken to induce uterine contractions which cause a period. 

This is not medical or legal advice, nor does Slingshot sell abortion pills or provide care. 

This is a non-comprehensive research and education resource. 

General theory of disorder at street protests

Order is when those in charge know where a crowd is and can manage the situation by re-routing traffic so business as usual can proceed everywhere else. From a police perspective, a bank occupation isn’t such a bad thing. There are a lot of banks, so having one shut down for a couple of hours is tolerable. 

Disorder is the rare, exciting, spontaneous moment when internal and external systems of repression lose their grip. Suddenly anything can happen and no one knows what is going to happen next. Those in charge fear disorder because they’ve lost control.

When we confront the police, it often results in order, not disorder, because the police know precisely where we are and its only a matter of time before they can amass enough forces to surround and bust us if they so choose. 

For disorder, we want to avoid ever seeing the police, but rather keep them guessing and confused while we’re free to cause chaos everywhere the police aren’t. Big protests often concentrate police forces and leave the rest of the city unguarded. The police are organized centrally, so multiple mobile groups can scramble their hierarchical structures. 

Disruption and disorder can take many forms. The system loves a conventional war within traditional categories organized around force and violence where they hold the upper hand. Like guerrilla fighters, it’s our job to figure out forms of struggle where we have an advantage. Creating humorous, absurd or beautiful expressions of the world we seek to build — music, art, gardens, public sex, bicycle swarms, etc. — avoids the system’s us vs. them paradigm. 

What to Bring

To be mobile and maximize the area that gets disrupted, you want to travel light and avoid bulky signs, props or costumes that slow you down. Wear good running shoes. If weather permits, water repellent clothes may help protect skin from pepper spray. Layers are good because they provide padding and can be used for disguise/escape. But in hot weather, avoiding heatstroke and dehydration so you can run is way more important than protection from chemical weapons or a disguise. You can carry water in a squirt bottle for drinking and to treat chemical weapons exposure. Use a fanny pack or bag that doesn’t get in the way in case you have to run. Don’t wear contact lenses, jewelry, long hair or anything the cops can grab. Think carefully about bringing drugs, weapons, burglary tools, sensitive information or anything that would get you in extra trouble if arrested. If you bring a cell phone, you may expose your personal information and your movements can be tracked — but on the other hand you can communicate with others and photograph stuff, so it depends what you’re up to. Gas masks, shields, goggles and helmets can put a huge target on you, can slow you down, and may promote the types of confrontations the system can digest and manage. 

Affinity Groups & Action Decision Making

Affinity groups are small cells — usually 4-8 people — who share attitudes about tactics and who organize themselves for effectiveness and protection during protests, riots or for middle-of-the-night action missions. The best affinity groups are people with pre-existing relationships who know and trust each other intimately. Decisions can be made as collectively and quickly. In a chaotic protest situation, affinity groups can enable decision making (as opposed to just reacting to the police) while watching each others’ backs. Affinity groups with experience and a vision within a bigger crowd can take the initiative when a crowd is standing around wondering what to do next. 

Some affinity groups use a code word which any member can yell if they have an idea for what the group should do next. Upon hearing the word, others in the group yell it too until the whole group gathers up and the person who called the huddle makes a quick proposal. A code word can also allow regrouping when the group gets separated in a chaotic situation. It is a good idea for everyone in the group to discuss their limits before an action. It can be helpful to scout locations and learn the area beforehand. During an action, taking time to check in about how everyone is feeling will keep the group unified. Don’t forget to eat, drink and pee. Some affinity groups have a division of labor in which some member stay away from the action to support members who might be arrested. An affinity group can send scouts on a bike to check out action opportunities. 

Good sex is an act of mutual aid. Every person, regardless of gender, is responsible for contributing to the well-being and pleasure of their partners and themselves. We must explore and know our own desires and learn to speak them. We must hear and respond to the desires of our partners (even if that means accepting refusal gracefully). This means finding the words to express how we like to be touched, spoken to, tied up, and cuddled. Getting explicit permission, however vulnerable and scary it may seem, is a great turn-on. What better than knowing your partner really likes it when you touch them that way, talk in that voice, or use that prop? What is better than knowing you can ask for anything, and it will at least be considered respectfully? There is no way that we or our relationships can grow if we don’t find safe spaces in which to explore.

If you have never spoken during sex, or asked permission, or blurted out your desires, feel free to start small. Most people receive compliments well, and appreciate encouraging suggestions. However, it’s equally important to discover the boundaries of your comfort (often situational) and speak them as well. Starting off with a “this feels so good” or “I love it when you…” or “I’d like you to spend the night if you’re interested” is fantastically brave. If you’re not there yet, work on moaning—just get yourself vocal. Steady yourself for disappointment (and delight), and enjoy the benefits of good communication. Often, people’s boundaries are related to past experience, and creating a safer “right now” can help some people open up closed doors. There is no implicit consent, just because you have kissed someone, to touch their genitals, or to have intercourse because you’ve had oral sex. If your partner tenses up or cries or is unresponsive, it’s really important to stop, check in, and support what they need. Be honest about any risk factors you bring, such as sexually transmitted infections, whether you have unprotected sex with other people, and if you have allergies to glycerin or spermicide (in lube) or latex. Details make all the difference.

It’s also important that we take care of our community and help out our friends. At the very least, we should directly check in with them about what they want and expect, and possibly act to get them to a place of lower risk. It’s also important to (in a supportive way) confront people who act aggressively in intimate contexts, because they may not understand that what they are doing is possibly assault. They are either okay with what they are doing, or don’t believe there’s anything wrong with it.

While being so direct about sex is outside of most norms, it transforms sexual experiences. When we are sure that we agree with our partners about expectation and desire, there is no fear to distract us—only pleasure and humor. It’s much less pressure to offer someone a choice (“Would you like to come home with me or would you rather hang out here?”) than a request (“Would you come home with me tonight?”). If we allow for slow and comfortable intimacy, we are likely to experience it more fully and joyfully.

So, if you are often the initiator of your sexual experiences, experiment with patience and let someone else take the lead. Even if it means being alone more often, you may find you enjoy yourself more when you are with partners. If you are less likely to initiate sex, think of ways you could safely ask for intimacy. Having the support of friends could make it easier to approach that really great someone.

It’s our responsibility to create new sexual expectations based on good communication that not only reduce the likelihood of sexual assault, but affirm that sex is normal and necessary. This begins with teaching children healthy ideas about their bodies and believing people when they share stories of sexual assault. Consider it turning on the lights. There are endless ways for us to end our internal oppression and explore healthy, better sex.