Since he returned to office in January 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration has ramped up US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Pennsylvania and beyond.
In the first 14 months of Trump’s second term, 8,796 people were arrested by ICE in Pennsylvania, according to the Associated Press, almost quadrupling the amount of immigration arrests during the final 14 months of President Joe Biden’s term.
Every day, thousands of immigrant families in Pennsylvania live in fear of possible detainment or deportation, but there are ways you can support your immigrant neighbors.
Here’s information on how you can get involved:
Sign a petition
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is circulating several national petitions for immigrant rights.
These petitions to Congress demand actions such as creating easier pathways to citizenship for immigrants, curtailing the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ability to use Flock camera footage, and holding ICE accountable for the killings of citizens.
For more information on ACLU’s immigrant justice actions, please visit their website.
Share resources with your neighbors
Immigrant families are in dire need of help and resources in the face of deportation. Many times, families are separated due to arrests and deportations. This leaves many children of immigrant families at risk of going into the foster care system, but there are resources available to help, like
Keep Your Kids.allows immigrant parents to delegate a temporary emergency guardian for families at risk of separation.
You can share this information with your neighbors at risk by visiting their website.
Volunteer
Volunteer work is one of the best ways to advance immigrant justice in Pennsylvania. Whether it’s translation services or administrative support, you may have skills that can help in the fight for immigrant rights.
The Amica Canter for Immigrant Rights is a national organization that provides legal defense for immigrants nationwide. Their goal is to create an America where immigrants are treated humanely and receive due process.
Amica has many volunteer opportunities. To learn more please visit their volunteer page.
For more local volunteer opportunities, visit the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, an organization that fights for immigrant rights at the local level.
Have an event to add? Email State Organizing Coordinator Ava Edwards at ava@couriernewsroom.com. Please send details at least one week before the event.
Need more information before casting your next ballot?
Use Keystone’s voter registration tool below to check your registration status, find your polling place, and stay updated for future elections, so you and your family never miss the chance to vote.
