Austin Kocher, PhD
@austinkocher.com
I study immigration enforcement. Assistant Professor at Syracuse University and Research Fellow at the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at American University. https://linktr.ee/austinkocher
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Know Your Rights Resources for ICE and Border Patrol Encounters (2026 Update)
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com
Know Your Rights Resources for ICE and Border Patrol Encounters (2026 Update)
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/know-your-...
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/know-your-...
From San Jose to Santa Clara to Alameda County, local governments are restricting ICE use of county property. This is part of a broader pushback against aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics.
us.headtopics.com/news/alameda...
us.headtopics.com/news/alameda...
Alameda County Moves Forward with Proposal for ICE-Free Zones
Alameda County's Board of Supervisors is considering a proposal to establish ICE-free zones within the county, limiting the presence and actions of federal immigration enforcement agents.
us.headtopics.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:32 PM
From San Jose to Santa Clara to Alameda County, local governments are restricting ICE use of county property. This is part of a broader pushback against aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics.
us.headtopics.com/news/alameda...
us.headtopics.com/news/alameda...
ICE pulled a Dallas prosecutor after he was tied to a racist X account praising white supremacy. Now he’s back in immigration court with no public update on the investigation. This raises serious questions about fairness and due process.
www.texasobserver.org/ice-prosecut...
www.texasobserver.org/ice-prosecut...
ICE Prosecutor Who Runs Racist X Account Returns to Dallas Immigration Court
James Rodden, identified by the Observer last year as the operator of an account that routinely posted hateful statements, appeared to be back at work Tuesday.
www.texasobserver.org
January 16, 2026 at 4:08 PM
ICE pulled a Dallas prosecutor after he was tied to a racist X account praising white supremacy. Now he’s back in immigration court with no public update on the investigation. This raises serious questions about fairness and due process.
www.texasobserver.org/ice-prosecut...
www.texasobserver.org/ice-prosecut...
Being a U.S. citizen doesn’t shield you from ICE abuse. Wrongful detention, excessive force, and medical neglect can still happen during raids and often due to errors or escalation.
www.blogarama.com/business-blo...
www.blogarama.com/business-blo...
Shocking ICE Abuse Against U.S. Citizens: What’s Legal, What’s Not, and What to Do If It Happens to Your Family
By Richard T. Herman, Immigration Attorney (Herman Legal Group)
www.blogarama.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Being a U.S. citizen doesn’t shield you from ICE abuse. Wrongful detention, excessive force, and medical neglect can still happen during raids and often due to errors or escalation.
www.blogarama.com/business-blo...
www.blogarama.com/business-blo...
“People afraid to call 911 makes everyone less safe.” Bucks County sheriff Danny Ceisler ends ICE collaboration, prioritizing trust, safety, and dignity over immigration enforcement by local police.
www.el-balad.com/6822684
www.el-balad.com/6822684
Bucks County Sheriff Terminates ICE Collaboration Agreement
Bucks County Sheriff Danny Ceisler officially ended the collaborative agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday. This decision was driven by concerns regarding public…
www.el-balad.com
January 16, 2026 at 7:18 AM
“People afraid to call 911 makes everyone less safe.” Bucks County sheriff Danny Ceisler ends ICE collaboration, prioritizing trust, safety, and dignity over immigration enforcement by local police.
www.el-balad.com/6822684
www.el-balad.com/6822684
Important: ICE ≠ police. In Washington, they can’t enter homes without a judge’s warrant and can’t work with local law enforcement. You may record and stay silent. Verify activity through the Deportation Defense Hotline: 1-844-724-3737.
www.theolympian.com/news/state/w...
www.theolympian.com/news/state/w...
www.theolympian.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:25 AM
Important: ICE ≠ police. In Washington, they can’t enter homes without a judge’s warrant and can’t work with local law enforcement. You may record and stay silent. Verify activity through the Deportation Defense Hotline: 1-844-724-3737.
www.theolympian.com/news/state/w...
www.theolympian.com/news/state/w...
The Washington Post just reported that the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos at the detention facility in El Paso known as Camp East Montana on January 3 may have been a homicide. Coroner reports suggest that he died from asphyxiation — possibly from a choke hold.
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Medical examiner believes death of man in ICE custody was homicide, recording says
A fellow detainee says he witnessed Geraldo Lunas Campos being choked to death by guards at the ICE detention center in Texas on Jan. 3.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:17 AM
The Washington Post just reported that the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos at the detention facility in El Paso known as Camp East Montana on January 3 may have been a homicide. Coroner reports suggest that he died from asphyxiation — possibly from a choke hold.
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Reposted by Austin Kocher, PhD
And that’s assuming the detention rate stays the same, but as we know, ICE is working overtime to expand capacity, as I write about here, citing Andrew Free:
maxgranger.substack.com/p/fearing-fo...
maxgranger.substack.com/p/fearing-fo...
January 15, 2026 at 11:29 PM
And that’s assuming the detention rate stays the same, but as we know, ICE is working overtime to expand capacity, as I write about here, citing Andrew Free:
maxgranger.substack.com/p/fearing-fo...
maxgranger.substack.com/p/fearing-fo...
Mexican Consulate of Atlanta Reports New Death in ICE Custody, Fifth in First 15 Days of 2026. At the current rate of one death every three days, 2026 could see 122 deaths in custody.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/mexican-co...
austinkocher.substack.com/p/mexican-co...
Mexican Consulate of Atlanta Reports New Death in ICE Custody, Fifth in First 15 Days of 2026
A Mexican national died while in ICE custody at the Robert A Deyton Detention Facility in Lovejoy, Georgia, south of Atlanta, according to a press release from the Mexican consulate in Atlanta.
austinkocher.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Mexican Consulate of Atlanta Reports New Death in ICE Custody, Fifth in First 15 Days of 2026. At the current rate of one death every three days, 2026 could see 122 deaths in custody.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/mexican-co...
austinkocher.substack.com/p/mexican-co...
Reposted by Austin Kocher, PhD
Ahead of time, you first have to turn on full encryption on your devices, it’s not that cumbersome—a good guide here:
January 15, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Ahead of time, you first have to turn on full encryption on your devices, it’s not that cumbersome—a good guide here:
ICE error meant some recruits were sent into field offices without proper training, sources say. Reporting by Julia Ansley.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
January 15, 2026 at 3:59 PM
ICE error meant some recruits were sent into field offices without proper training, sources say. Reporting by Julia Ansley.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
"The practical question is no longer What’s legally the right thing to do in immigration cases? but What can the president and his representatives get away with?" Read my conversation with Gustav Jönsson at The Signal.
www.thesgnl.com/2026/01/trum...
www.thesgnl.com/2026/01/trum...
Shock and awe
How did U.S. immigration enforcement get so radical, so fast? Austin Kocher on Trump’s refitting of a system his predecessors built.
www.thesgnl.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:18 AM
"The practical question is no longer What’s legally the right thing to do in immigration cases? but What can the president and his representatives get away with?" Read my conversation with Gustav Jönsson at The Signal.
www.thesgnl.com/2026/01/trum...
www.thesgnl.com/2026/01/trum...
Based on the City of Minneapolis and confirmed by a friend in the city, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been involved in another shooting in the northern part of the city, two people shot by ICE officer(s). Situation is developing, more information to come.
January 15, 2026 at 1:56 AM
Based on the City of Minneapolis and confirmed by a friend in the city, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been involved in another shooting in the northern part of the city, two people shot by ICE officer(s). Situation is developing, more information to come.
Watching Out While Watching ICE by Anna Lekas Miller
As ICE escalates its operations and violence, advocates say it’s more important than ever to use best practices while observing enforcement activities.
www.truthdig.com/articles/wat...
As ICE escalates its operations and violence, advocates say it’s more important than ever to use best practices while observing enforcement activities.
www.truthdig.com/articles/wat...
Watching Out While Watching ICE - Truthdig
As ICE escalates its operations, advocates say it’s more important than ever to use best practices while observing enforcement activities.
www.truthdig.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:25 AM
Watching Out While Watching ICE by Anna Lekas Miller
As ICE escalates its operations and violence, advocates say it’s more important than ever to use best practices while observing enforcement activities.
www.truthdig.com/articles/wat...
As ICE escalates its operations and violence, advocates say it’s more important than ever to use best practices while observing enforcement activities.
www.truthdig.com/articles/wat...
Minnesota is fed up with the feds rampaging through their cities. They're suing to try to end deployment of immigration agents Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the deployment a "federal invasion of the Twin Cities."
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Minnesota sues federal government to try to end deployment of immigration agents
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the deployment a "federal invasion of the Twin Cities."
www.nbcnews.com
January 14, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Minnesota is fed up with the feds rampaging through their cities. They're suing to try to end deployment of immigration agents Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the deployment a "federal invasion of the Twin Cities."
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
If you were looking for a single unifying interpretive framework to help make sense of this administration‘s actions, consider that Trump is actively trying to destroy our country rather than save it.
January 14, 2026 at 5:07 PM
If you were looking for a single unifying interpretive framework to help make sense of this administration‘s actions, consider that Trump is actively trying to destroy our country rather than save it.
How did law enforcement get such expansive powers to do whatever they want to justify their actions? Look at Whren v. United States. Paul Rosenzweig argues in the Atlantic that this ruling needs to go.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Court Case That Is Allowing ICE to Stop Just About Anyone It Wants
Whren v. United States needs to go.
www.theatlantic.com
January 14, 2026 at 4:08 PM
How did law enforcement get such expansive powers to do whatever they want to justify their actions? Look at Whren v. United States. Paul Rosenzweig argues in the Atlantic that this ruling needs to go.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Know Your Rights Resources for ICE and Border Patrol Encounters (2026 Update)
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/know-your-...
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/know-your-...
Know Your Rights Resources for ICE and Border Patrol Encounters (2026 Update)
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Know Your Rights Resources for ICE and Border Patrol Encounters (2026 Update)
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/know-your-...
A comprehensive resource library of KYR information for immigration enforcement encounters at home, work, school, healthcare facilities, and public spaces. Updated for 2026.
austinkocher.substack.com/p/know-your-...
As I wrote, "the government's response to this situation was irresponsible and unprofessional—if not outright dangerous for inflaming the discourse with unjustified assertions at a time when we needed the agency to be mature and measured."
austinkocher.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
austinkocher.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
January 14, 2026 at 1:02 PM
As I wrote, "the government's response to this situation was irresponsible and unprofessional—if not outright dangerous for inflaming the discourse with unjustified assertions at a time when we needed the agency to be mature and measured."
austinkocher.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
austinkocher.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
At least four leaders of a Justice Department unit that investigates police killings have resigned in protest over the administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of a motorist in Minneapolis by an ICE officer.
www.ms.now/news/doj-civ...
www.ms.now/news/doj-civ...
January 14, 2026 at 1:02 PM
At least four leaders of a Justice Department unit that investigates police killings have resigned in protest over the administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of a motorist in Minneapolis by an ICE officer.
www.ms.now/news/doj-civ...
www.ms.now/news/doj-civ...
YouGov poll finds most Americans, including most independents, believe that that ICE was NOT JUSTIFIED in shooting Renee Good in Minneapolis last week.
See the underlying data for yourself: d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
See the underlying data for yourself: d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
January 14, 2026 at 7:18 AM
YouGov poll finds most Americans, including most independents, believe that that ICE was NOT JUSTIFIED in shooting Renee Good in Minneapolis last week.
See the underlying data for yourself: d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
See the underlying data for yourself: d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
After four immigrants died in ICE custody last week and the agency waited until after hours to announce it, I’m sitting here on a Tuesday night wondering how many people (we’ll learn about later on the weekend) will have died during this week. What a morbid reality.
January 14, 2026 at 3:41 AM
After four immigrants died in ICE custody last week and the agency waited until after hours to announce it, I’m sitting here on a Tuesday night wondering how many people (we’ll learn about later on the weekend) will have died during this week. What a morbid reality.
Minnesota Sues to Stop ICE ‘Invasion’
The state of Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities, have sued the US government and several officials to halt the flood of agents carrying out an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.
www.wired.com/story/minnes...
The state of Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities, have sued the US government and several officials to halt the flood of agents carrying out an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.
www.wired.com/story/minnes...
Minnesota Sues to Stop ICE ‘Invasion’
The state of Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities, have sued the US government and several officials to halt the flood of agents carrying out an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.
www.wired.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Minnesota Sues to Stop ICE ‘Invasion’
The state of Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities, have sued the US government and several officials to halt the flood of agents carrying out an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.
www.wired.com/story/minnes...
The state of Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities, have sued the US government and several officials to halt the flood of agents carrying out an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation.
www.wired.com/story/minnes...