Over the first two months of 2026, we have witnessed a terrifying escalation of state violence in Minneapolis and across the country. This has been met with inspired organizing efforts and new calls to Abolish ICE. While some rush to differentiate between local police departments and federal immigration agencies, we know that ICE is part of a long history of state sanctioned violence against Black and brown people, poor and working class communities, and those who dare to challenge the interests of the elite.
As our partners at Justice Committee recently stated:
Just like local police, ICE relies on the same excuses to justify their violence. After ICEWatcher Alex Pretti was killed, Border Patrol agents claimed “he had a gun.” After ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot Renee Nicole Good, he said he “feared for his life.” We have heard this before. Minnesota officer Jeronimo Yanez killed Philando Castile after Philando calmly disclosed that he was legally carrying a firearm. NYPD Lt. Jonathan Rivera killed Allan Feliz because he claims he believed Allan’s vehicle was threatening officers’ lives. These are not coincidences—they are patterns.
Here in New York City the NYPD shot three New Yorkers in less than three weeks, including 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, who was shot in front of his family less than a minute after police entered their home. Jabez’s family called 911 for mental health care. They have been met with violence, interrogation, harassment and manipulation.
SURJ NYC’s Beyond Policing Working Group exists to both resist current state violence and imagine and advocate for a system that actually keeps us safe. At next week’s chapter meeting, we will be exploring how ICE intersects with the history of policing in this country and checking in on Mayor Mamdani’s plans for a Department of Community Safety. We will then be joined by Christina Sparrock, founder of the NYC Mental Health Collective and a member of the Daniel’s Law Taskforce, to learn more about the state of alternative responses to mental health crisis in NYC.
Join us on Thursday, March 5th at 6:30pm to learn more about these efforts and actions you can take to create the world we want!
In Solidarity,
SURJ NYC