ICE check-ins and weaponizing holidays

So, here again, the ICE uses the state's banal tools, such as appointment notices/check-ins, to reinforce violence on the most vulnerable population. It is the holiday season, which means people take time off to spend with family and friends to observe collective rituals that strengthen social bonds, but this year, it will not be easy for a specific refugee population. There is a plan to disrupt the cultural and social cohesion among refugees and immigrants with precarious legal status.

I have been hearing from some community members that they have received notices from DHS/ICE to appear for an in-person check-in on particular days, such as Christmas Day (December 25th) and New Year's Day (January 1st). Shawn Vandiver, the president of AfghanEvac, has also written on this on his Substack. 

I assume ICE uses holidays as a cover to detain individuals since it makes the headline less, and attorneys and refugee rights activists might be absent. Not appearing is the best option, but having a lawyer and a support team as a precautionary measure might be helpful. 

So, let your lawyer know you are being called for check-in, register with AfghanEvac, and follow what Vandiver has written here. This is the most helpful guide for those who are in this precarious situation.