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RISE AGAINST ICE:

RISE FOR OUR BODIES, OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR FUTURE

State Violence Is Gender-Based Violence: Across the United States, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is carrying out policies and practices that directly violate the bodies of women, girls and gender expansive people, fracture families, endanger survivors, and terrorize communities. These actions are not isolated incidents, they are a continuation of a history and architecture of violence rooted in patriarchy, white supremacy, militarization, and impunity. 

In 2026, One Billion Rising calls for us to RISE to expose systems that extract, punish, and disappear the most vulnerable. We rise because immigration enforcement has become a frontline of violence against women, gender expansive people and children. And we rise with people who are rising against state violence around the world because silence is no longer an option and solidarity is our strength.

RISE to End Abuse in Detention

  • Detention populations have surged to 68,440 by December 2025, up 78%, and oversight has dropped with 36% fewer inspections and 32 reported deaths, the highest since 2004.
  • Detention centers with documented abuse, inadequate medical care, and poor conditions have been reopened.
  • Pregnant people in ICE custody are denied timely medical care, shackled during transport, and in some cases returned to detention on the same day as a miscarriage.
  • Medical procedures, including gynecological exams and labor care, are often performed without interpretation or informed consent, violating bodily autonomy and medical rights.
  • Rape and sexual assault occur inside detention facilities, with survivors reporting assaults by guards, other detainees, or in the process of transportation and transfer. Survivors have repeatedly said that reporting sexual violence to facility staff leads to retaliation, further abuse, or no action at all.
  • Transgender and gender‑expansive detainees are routinely housed based on assigned sex at birth rather than gender identity, amplifying their exposure to sexual violence and harassment. ICE ended access to gender‑affirming medical care, including hormones and psychological support
  • 2025 was the deadliest year in ICE custody in over two decades, with 32 deaths, followed by at least 4 more in the first weeks of 2026.

Source: Project On Government Oversight, American Civil Liberties Union, Vera Institute, The American Prospect

RISE for the Safety of Survivors

  • A July 2025 immigration court ruling makes it harder for survivors of gender-based violence to receive asylum in the U.S., putting many at risk of being deported back to dangerous conditions.
  • 76% of advocates say immigrant survivors are afraid to call the police when experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, due to fear of detention or deportation.
  • Abusers use the threat of deportation as a weapon, keeping survivors silent and trapped in abusive situations.
  • LGBTQ asylum seekers — especially trans women — face increased danger because recent legal changes have made it even harder to get protection from violence and persecution.

Source: American Immigration Council,  Alliance for Immigrant Survivors, LGBTQ Nation

RISE to Defend Children and Families

  • Over 600 children were separated from their families in 2025, more than the previous four years combined. Family separation causes deep and lasting trauma: anxiety, depression, developmental regression.
  • At least 100 U.S. citizen children were separated from their caregivers despite those adults having legal status or pending asylum claims.
  • ICE has conducted enforcement actions around schools and medical facilities, waiting for caregivers to drop children off or seek basic services, then detaining the adult. School drop-offs have become dangerous, leading many to keep children home to avoid possible ICE kidnappings.
  • Families live in fear of being separated while going about daily activities like medical appointments, purchasing food, and school drop-offs.
  • Pregnant people are avoiding hospitals and prenatal care out of fear of being detained by ICE.

Source: ProPublica, CNN Politics, EducationWeek, STAT News, NEA Today, The New York Times

RISE for the Protection of Protesters, Journalists and Witnesses

  • On January 7, 2026, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was acting as a legal observer of ICE operations in Minneapolis. Trump and Vance labeled Good “violent,” “radical,” and accused her of “domestic terrorism” despite video evidence contradicting federal claims.
  • Following protests over Good’s killing and other ICE actions, independent journalist Georgia Fort, was arrested at her home in front of her children by federal agents after documenting an anti‑ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
  • During a town hall focused on immigration and ICE, Rep. Ilhan Omar was physically assaulted by a man who sprayed her with a substance. The attack was a violent response to her public opposition to ICE and part of a broader pattern of gendered and racialized targeting of those who speak out.
  • Marimar Martínez was shot five times by a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent. She was on her way to drop off clothes for donation and alerted neighbors about federal agents’ presence.
  • Legal observers, journalists, and community monitors, including women and gender expansive people, have been assaulted, pepper-sprayed, and surveilled by ICE during enforcement actions.
  • ICE has acquired surveillance tools including facial recognition and spyware to track and target protesters, with officials stating that documenting ICE operations constitutes “violence.”

Source: Vera Institute of Justice, NPR, CNN, C-Span, Tech Policy Press, Brennan Center for Justice

8 WAYS TO RISE AGAINST ICE WITH ONE BILLION RISING

To organize a Rising that is safe, impactful, and rooted in collective power, begin by clarifying your purpose: why you are Rising, who you are accountable to, and what cultural, community, or policy change you hope to achieve. Ground your action in One Billion Rising’s 2026 theme, Rise for Our Bodies, Our Earth, Our Future, and center the voices and leadership of those most affected by the specific form of gender-based violence you’re addressing. Collaborate with trusted individuals and organizations, especially those already engaged in related work, and use the Rising to support or amplify ongoing campaigns and community needs. Prioritize relationship-building, especially if you are newer to organizing, by learning from experienced local groups with established safety protocols and deep knowledge of the local context. 

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT OUR TOOLKIT

Art-Based Actions

  • Launch a local art show, poster campaign, or sidewalk chalk action.
  • Create and mail handmade art, poems, or letters of solidarity

In Schools or Workplaces

  • Host a lunch-hour discussion, zine-making session, or mini-Rising in a classroom or staff room
  • Decorate a shared space with messages of resistance and healing
  • Organize a group reading or performance of survivor-centered poetry or stories
  • Create a collaborative art project or bulletin board that highlights local resources and support for ending gender-based violence.
  • Teach and perform a dance from the One Billion Rising campaign, such as “Break the Chain” or “We Are Rising,” to engage your school community.
  • See more tools for Rising on your college campus here.

Mutual Aid

Organize a community care action rooted in justice and connect with mutual aid groups already doing this work in your area. Support their efforts or collaborate on a Rising that meets immediate needs while raising awareness. Ideas include:

  • Delivering groceries, meals, or supplies to community members in need.
  • Offer support to local shelters, crisis centers, or food distribution programs.
  • Hosting a supply drive for hygiene products, winter gear, or non perishable foods.

Private Gatherings

  • Host a small indoor Rising with friends, neighbors, or trusted community.
  • Include dance, music, storytelling, or VOICES: A Sacred Sisterscape audio play.
  • Hold space for survivors to share art, reflection, or collective ritual.

Educational and Healing Spaces

  • Facilitate a film screening or reading circle using OBR materials or feminist texts/films.
  • Lead a workshop on a gender-based violence issue impacting your local community, using discussion, education, or creative tools to raise awareness and inspire action.
  • Organize a healing justice circle that centers survivor wellness.

Come Up With Your Own

Let your community’s vision guide you, there’s no one way to Rise.

 

Social Media Images to Share:

Sources:

RISE to End Abuse in Detention:

RISE for Safety of Survivors:

RISE to Defend Children and Families:

RISE for the Protection of Protesters, Journalists and Witnesses