Kathmandu— During heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Minnesota this past winter, communities responded by organizing legal observer trainings and equipping themselves with whistles intended to disrupt raids; however, the most effective resistance came from encrypted neighborhood communication networks built on a strict eyewitness reporting protocol known as SALUTE. These networks allowed residents to share verified information about ICE and Border Patrol sightings, creating an alternate informational reality distinct from mainstream media coverage and countering disinformation during a period of intense fear and uncertainty.

Beyond Whistles: Building Neighborhood Networks

While the tactic of using whistles to disrupt ICE raids gained viral attention on social media, it proved insufficient as physical defense against federal agents. One individual recounted witnessing a neighbor’s abduction despite repeatedly blowing his whistle, highlighting the limitations of symbolic protest without organized collective power. In response, thousands of residents established encrypted communication networks through the Signal app, relying on word-of-mouth trust and a rigid tactical protocol borrowed from military intelligence.

The SALUTE Protocol: Verifying Information

The SALUTE protocol—an acronym for Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, and Equipment—was used to ensure accurate reporting of ICE activity. Participants were instructed to post only information they personally verified, creating a detailed ledger of federal agent movements in working-class neighborhoods. This discipline served as a crucial ‘firebreak’ against the spread of paranoia and misinformation that often accompanies crises, providing a starkly different reality from what was reported by corporate media.

An Alternate Reality

The community-based reporting system created an alternate informational landscape where residents relied on direct eyewitness accounts rather than official sources. One Black contractor noted that the ICE raids were not a departure from the norm, but a continuation of historical patterns of systemic violence and discrimination experienced by Black and Indigenous communities in Minnesota. He explained that for many, calls to ‘return to normal’ meant returning to an acceptable level of everyday injustice.

Generational Distrust

The author reflects on how generations of systematic discrediting of Black and Indigenous experiences have fostered a deep-seated distrust of official narratives. This historical context has instilled a survival mechanism that prioritizes eyewitness accounts over institutional reports, recognizing the potential for falsehoods to be used to justify violence and oppression. The author emphasizes the importance of remembering this experience and prioritizing trust in fellow human beings during times of crisis.

The community-based resistance networks established in Minnesota continue to serve as a model for organizing and information sharing, highlighting the power of collective action and verified eyewitness accounts in challenging state-sanctioned actions.

(With inputs from CounterPunch)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.