LA Neighborhood Seeks Sirens to Warn of ICE Presence

Highland Park group wants to crowdfund air raid sirens to alert residents when immigration agents are in the area.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A neighborhood group in Los Angeles' Highland Park area is seeking to install air raid sirens to warn local residents and business owners when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are present in the area. The group says the sirens are needed due to fear and a lack of ethnic minorities being visible in the community during the day, which they describe as feeling "dystopian."

Why it matters

The move to install the sirens highlights growing tensions between immigrant communities and federal immigration enforcement, as well as concerns over the impact of ICE operations on neighborhood life. It also raises questions about the legality and appropriateness of using air raid-style sirens for this purpose.

The details

The Highland Park Community Support group told local media they want to crowdfund the purchase of the air raid sirens to be installed on private property. They say the sirens will allow residents to "take shelter" when ICE agents are spotted in the area. However, the group says they will avoid directly obstructing ICE agents during enforcement actions. The city of Los Angeles has also recently taken steps to limit ICE's ability to use city resources for immigration enforcement.

  • The Highland Park group plans to install the sirens later this month.

The players

Highland Park Community Support

A neighborhood group in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles that is seeking to install air raid sirens to warn residents of ICE presence.

Amanda Alcalde

The creator of the Highland Park Community Support group.

Tricia McLaughlin

Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, who criticized the group's plan as "insane."

David Trujillo

A member of the Highland Park Community Support group who says they will avoid directly obstructing ICE agents.

Karen Bass

The Mayor of Los Angeles, who recently signed an executive order prohibiting federal agents from using city property to conduct immigration enforcement operations.

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What they’re saying

“We'd like to ultimately have this along all the different streets so they can take shelter. I've seen a lot of fear in people's eyes. I don't see a lot of our ethnic minorities out in the day to day. It's big change. It feels dystopian in a way.”

— Amanda Alcalde, Creator, Highland Park Community Support (KTLA)

“The residents of Highland Park want to buy an air raid siren—the same device that was used in London when German planes flew over—to alert the community about ICE. Seems like a public nuisance!”

— Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security (Fox News)

“We don't directly get ourselves involved with ICE, but we will get involved in protecting the community to stay in their office or home.”

— David Trujillo, Member, Highland Park Community Support (KTLA)

What’s next

The Highland Park Community Support group plans to install the air raid sirens on private property later this month, though questions remain about potential noise ordinance issues.

The takeaway

The push to install air raid sirens to warn of ICE presence highlights the growing divide between immigrant communities and federal immigration enforcement, as well as the lengths some neighborhoods are willing to go to protect their residents from perceived threats.