Calls Grow to Dismantle ICE as Immigrant Advocates Protest Detentions

Community solidarity and activism seen as key to overcoming ICE's aggressive tactics against immigrant families

Feb. 5, 2026 at 8:55pm

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Amid growing outrage over aggressive tactics by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including the detention of children and families, immigrant advocates are calling for the agency to be dismantled. Community organizers argue that unified community action, not just government policy changes, is essential to protecting vulnerable immigrant populations and ending ICE's abuses.

Why it matters

ICE has faced intense criticism for its heavy-handed approach to immigration enforcement, which has included separating families, detaining children, and using force against citizens and legal residents. Immigrant advocates say ICE's actions undermine American values of welcoming newcomers and treating all people with dignity, and that community-based resistance is needed to counter the agency's overreach.

The details

Immigrant advocates point to recent high-profile incidents, such as the detention of a 5-year-old boy and his father in Minnesota, as examples of ICE's aggressive tactics. Community members have responded with large protests confronting ICE agents, leading to some detainees being released. Scholars argue that building strong, unified communities is key to 'coping' with and 'empowering' people against ICE's abuses.

  • In January 2026, hundreds of Bostonians protested ICE in Copley Square in 17-degree weather.
  • In July 2025, a federal judge in Texas ordered the immediate release of a 5-year-old boy and his father who had been detained by ICE in Minnesota.

The players

Party of Socialism and Liberation

A political organization in Boston that consistently organizes anti-ICE protests.

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

An organization that protects immigrant communities in Massachusetts and has stated that 'ICE is not welcome in our state.'

Jun Zhang

A scholar from Wuhan University in China who has written about the importance of 'community resilience' in overcoming adversity.

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What they’re saying

“Thoughts and prayers are not enough. ICE is not welcome in our state.”

— Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition)

“Community solidarity is essential to facing key issues proliferating society. Unified communities are more likely to be prepared in emergencies and are able to build long term solutions focusing on 'coping mechanisms' and 'empowerment.'”

— Jun Zhang, Scholar, Wuhan University (Daily Free Press)

What’s next

Immigrant advocates and community organizers plan to continue holding large protests and confronting ICE agents in an effort to pressure the government to dismantle the agency.

The takeaway

This crisis requires a community-based response, not just government policy changes. By standing united, immigrant communities and their allies can push back against ICE's abuses and uphold American values of welcoming newcomers and treating all people with dignity.