CLEVELAND — Immigration advocacy groups in Cleveland are creating “whistle kits” designed to warn others of immigration enforcement activity—but the kits include more than just whistles.
Whistles are meant to communicate and send a signal, which is exactly why local organizer Candice Huber with The People’s Distro says they created the kits. Each one includes a whistle, a card explaining a person’s rights—available in multiple languages—and a pamphlet explaining how to use the whistle.
"So the whistles are meant to be an alert system for ICE. So if you see ICE, then you blow the whistle really quickly, three times in a row. And if you are witnessing someone get arrested by ICE, then you blow it in long bursts,” Huber continued, “The goal is to educate communities and to protect each other.”
The People’s Distro connects food sovereignty efforts in Cleveland with work abroad, including in Palestine and Sudan. Organizers say immigration enforcement directly impacts access to food, as fear of detention keeps many people inside their homes.
"ICE enforcement and food sovereignty are really intertwined a lot, because ICE makes people afraid to leave their homes, and if they're afraid to leave their homes, they can't go to the grocery or get food,” said Huber.
Huber says the idea was inspired by similar efforts in Minnesota—meant to send a message not only to the community, but also to ICE.
"We want people to know that they're not alone,” Candice continued. “We are here to protect our community. We are here to help our neighbors, and we don't want you here terrorizing them.”
We asked the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office how it views the whistle kits.
"I don't think it really impacts it much at all. I mean, like I said, it's distracting. It's probably annoying, but that's about it,” said Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand.
For nearly two decades, Geauga County has held a contract to house ICE detainees, but it does not conduct the arrests.
"We don't go out and look for them. We will house them. If we happen to run across them, we contact ICE. If one of them has committed an additional crime other than being in the country illegally,” said Hildenbrand.
While protests have increased over the past year, the sheriff says all have been peaceful, adding that whistles are just another distraction deputies are trained to handle.
"Well, they're trained; number one is to get the job done. They got to concentrate on the job, and they got to be able to do it safely,” said Hildenbrand.
Still, he warns the public not to interfere.
"If you want to stand on the sidelines and say that you don't approve of it, OK, that's your right, and we're okay with that, just don't get involved in it. That's where problems happen. When you try to physically move in there and try to physically stop people from doing their jobs, then you're going to have problems,” said Hildenbrand.
As for Huber, she says she understands ICE’s role—but doesn’t agree with it.
"That doesn't mean that their job is right or just or moral. It doesn't mean that the people telling them what their job is right,” said Huber.
The whistle kits have not yet been used in Northeast Ohio. Distribution begins this Thursday.
