AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The Department of Homeland Security says more than 5,000 people have been arrested by federal immigration officers in the Chicago region. But many Chicagoans believe that number would have been much higher had it not been for hyperlocal grassroots work to counter enforcement activities. Now some people in Chicago hope that other cities like New Orleans might build off what they have learned. NPR's Odette Yousef has been covering their efforts and joins us now. Hi, Odette.
ODETTE YOUSEF, BYLINE: Hey, Ailsa.
CHANG: So tell us about the group that you've been spending some time with.
YOUSEF: Well, it's called Protect RP. RP stands for Rogers Park, which is the name of their neighborhood. And it sits on the northern border of Chicago, right on Lake Michigan. It's known for its international diversity and as a kind of hotbed for lefty activism. And Protect RP is a community defense network. Its core team is about 16 volunteers. Most of them are doing this on top of a full-time job. And what's notable is they were doing this work quite early, Ailsa. Protect RP first mobilized back in 2017...
CHANG: Oh, wow.
YOUSEF: ...Shortly after President Trump was first elected.
Continue Reading on NPR
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.