Practicing Solidarity With Our People in Detention
These are difficult times. The Trump administration is using federal agents to terrorize not only immigrant communities but those who stand in solidarity with them. But as Rachel Herzing and other prison industrial abolitionist organizers warn, we should not comply in advance. Doing so will not protect us.
The LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts has been training community members throughout the state on how to participate in local ICE watch hubs and their rapid response hotline. Groups are using various tactics to respond to ICE actions in the community, but what happens when someone is detained? How do we support people if they are in a jail or detention center?
On January 29th, the Decarcerate Western MA Bailout Project and the Western MA Asylum Support Network co-facilitated a training at Pa’lante Transformative Justice in Holyoke on jail and detention support. It was a frigid evening, but over 40 people came out to learn from facilitators Elliot and June on how to support people who are held pretrial or detained for immigration purposes. The interactive training went for 90 minutes and attendees were provided with an overview of each system along with practical ways to be in solidarity with detained people, including:
Emergency planning before engaging in any kind of activism that could lead to an arrest (planned or otherwise);
Key support skills like locating someone in immigration detention and working effectively with legal representation;
Providing financial support in the form of fundraising for legal fees or commissary;
Accompanying people to immigration hearings or appointments;
Participating in participatory defense and leveraging tactics like court support, writing letters of support, and creating social biographies to humanize our loved ones who are navigating a criminal case.
Attendees were encouraged to apply the information from the training either as individuals or in their organizing work.
It is easy to feel impotent or overwhelmed, to insulate ourselves from the chaos that is happening. But we can fight back, not only in the streets but in the courts. By practicing solidarity with people held in pretrial, prison, or immigrant detention, we let the state know that we will not comply with their violent agenda. But more importantly, we let our loved ones know that they are not alone and we remind ourselves that together, we have power.
Take Action
Want to know how to plug in to local organizing? Check out the work of these organizations:
Get trained by LUCE on ICE watch and their hotline
Volunteer with or donate to the Western MA Asylum Support Network
Volunteer with Decarcerate Western MA and support our participatory defense hub, political education projects, or organize a fundraiser to keep our bail fund full!
Organizers at the Jail and Detention Support Workshop, January 2026
