The Dugout: What the LA Protests Against ICE Are Really Like — From the Organizers Themselves

Hosts of The Dugout speak with organizers in Southern California about the ongoing demonstrations against ICE raids. 

This week on The Dugout, we sit down with two organizers and artists, Peter (@handsomeherbivore) and Anahi, based in Southern California, to discuss the intensified presence of ICE and other law enforcement agencies, and the community-led responses emerging in their wake. From the streets of LA to the grassroots of neighborhood rapid response networks, they take us inside the layered challenges of resisting fascist state violence.

We talk about how organizers are adapting to militarization, surveillance, and fear-mongering, while holding space for care, communication, and mutual aid. Peter and Anahi also reflect on the powerful role of Lopez Urban Farm as a community site of resistance and nourishment.

This episode maps the terrain of struggle in Southern California, from on-the-ground organizing to lessons in long-term resilience. Whether you’re looking to plug in, learn from seasoned organizers, or understand how regional context shapes community defense, this conversation is urgent, raw, and rooted in solidarity.

Podcast Chapters

00:00 – Intro: Setting the Stage for Anti-ICE Protests in Los Angeles

02:19 – What’s Happening Now: On-the-Ground Conditions in SoCal & LA

10:00 – ICE Raids and Police Response: Street-Level Repression and Surveillance

13:48 – What is Rapid Response? How Communities Mobilize Against ICE

17:37 – Organizing in Crisis: Key Challenges for LA Activists and Organizers

21:39 – National Guard and Military Presence: How They’re Impacting Immigrant Communities

28:02 – Communication Barriers in Organizing: Lessons from the Frontlines

35:20 – LA Community Demographics: How Race and Class Shape Local Resistance

39:13 – How to Join the Fight: Volunteer, Donate, and Show Up in LA

48:35 – Spotlight: Lopez Urban Farm and Local Mutual Aid

50:24 – Outro: Final Thoughts on ICE Resistance and Building Power in LA

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Connect More

Peter’s Instagram – @handsomeherbivore

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