by JR Valrey, the People’s Minister of Information
Bay Area residents are still on edge after ICE agents moved into Coast Guard Island on Oct. 23 in Oakland. On that same day, media reports state that San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, heir to the Levi Strauss empire, had a talk with the president to “successfully” call off the invasion of federal officers and ICE agents into the Bay Area.
The next day, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee reportedly released a statement concerning the law enforcement invasion planned for the heart of the Bay Area.
“I spoke with Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez, who confirmed through her communications with ICE that Border Patrol operations are cancelled for the greater Bay Area — which includes Oakland — at this time,” Lee said.
With all of this being said, ICE agents were observed after these announcements were made public still kidnapping people in Daly City, a city minutes away from San Francisco.
We the people would be foolish to think that it only took a conversation for San Francisco Mayor Lurie to get Trump, his billionaire compadre, to rescind his invasion orders for the area. I would advise us to buckle up.
Allyssa Victory is a civil rights attorney, former Bay View columnist, and former candidate for Oakland mayor. For this interview, I needed to talk to someone who has integrity and is known and trusted by locals to inform us of our rights, and also someone who can give us an informed analysis of ICE and law enforcement’s recent activities. Her responses are provided in her individual capacity.
JR Valrey: Now that a federal invasion of ICE agents has set up shop at Coast Guard Island in the Oakland-Alameda estuary, what rights do people have when ICE knocks on their door? What rights do we have if we are approached in public?
Allyssa Victory: If ICE comes to your private home, you have the right to refuse entry if there is no valid warrant. You have the right to view a warrant for the property and should check that the person(s) sought and address are correct. Do not open a door to check a warrant, instead view it through a window or slide it under the door. You have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with police, immigration agents or other officials. If you are detained by ICE or immigration agents, you have the right to consult with a lawyer, but the government is NOT required to provide you with one. You have the right to contact your consulate or have an officer inform the consulate of your detention
If you encounter ICE in public, you have the right to remain silent. You have the right to record or film interactions as long as you are not obstructing law enforcement. You have the right to free speech and freedom of assembly. If you are arrested by local law enforcement for a crime, you have the right to make a local phone call and the right to a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the government IS REQUIRED to provide one FREE OF CHARGE.
Local and state law enforcement are prohibited by state law from assisting with federal immigration enforcement.
If you need immigration legal assistance or to report immigration enforcement activity, contact Alameda County Immigrant Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP) at https://www.acilep.org/. Their hotline is available weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 510-241-4011.
JR Valrey: Some members of the Black community seem to think these ICE detentions are solely about illegal immigration. Can you give examples of how the Black non-immigrant community is also being targeted in places like DC and Chicago where federal ICE invasions have already been employed?
Allyssa Victory: Black immigrants were some of the first targeted by this administration with a travel ban on Haiti and ongoing attempts to cancel the country’s temporary protected status designation. The recent federal immigration raids in DC and Chicago were conducted in majority Black neighborhoods affecting U.S. citizens. Black citizens, including elders and children, were dragged out of their homes at night, zip tied, placed in a U-Haul truck, while federal agents verified their identities and ransacked their homes. Property owners and tenants were left to deal with the clean-up and repair themselves. Furthermore, law enforcement continues to injure and harm Black people for exercising their civil rights, including the right to protest and the right to record law enforcement. The behavior of this current administration is reckless, aggressive, and the legality of their actions is an afterthought.
JR Valrey: These ICE invasions are happening at the same time that the US government is upgrading its police state into a police-surveillance state. Can you talk about some of the new technology that local police departments are employing that is invading the privacy rights of law abiding citizens, like flock cameras, ring cameras, electronic dogs,and Stingray radar-like systems that can listen and track phones without warrants?
Allyssa Victory: The steady increase in police funding, militarization and surveillance over the last few decades allowed for its quick use for ICE’s purposes under the Trump administration. Criminal justice reform advocates and residents have long opposed increases in police power and resources because of their capacity to be used for state violence against the public – the very people the police are meant to serve and to protect. We are witnessing the overfunding of militarism and policing while cutting basic needs like food and shelter. We have armed our local police with military-grade weapons and now see how dangerous that is when it’s turned against us. Surveillance technology is not regulated enough and usually involves third parties who can access or receive data leading to massive privacy concerns and vulnerability. State laws like Assembly Bill 481 require public disclosure, approval and annual reporting on police military equipment for all law enforcement agencies. The increased transparency reveals that funding and use of military equipment is standard practice for most local law enforcement.
JR Valrey: A lot of people want to blame Trump for this country’s brash race towards fascism, in which he deserves an honorable mention, but what is also essential to mention is that many of these new invasive technologies were developed and initially employed during the reign of Obama or Biden or other Democratic Party administrations. Can you give a little history on how capitalism eventually leads to fascism, with both the Democrats and Republicans in the driver’s seat?
Allyssa Victory: Decades of increase in police funding, militarization and tech created the systems that Trump is using. The increase has occurred over decades regardless of which political party was in power. Democrats have failed to aggressively oppose white supremacy, police violence and state violence including during the “defund the police” movements in 2020 and 2021. A majority of the local governments that engaged in “reimagining” their public safety systems actually increased their policing budgets. The U.S.’s overinvestment in violence and weaponry is on full display as our government is shut down yet we continue to spend money deploying our military across the country.
Capitalism and fascism are interconnected. Trump is a capitalist who was well-known for his private business ventures and celebrity persona before entering politics. Trump has now found new money and resources to use: America’s money and resources. Trump is using our government as an extension of his private business. His goal is maximizing his own money and power, not governing or providing anything to the American people. Every decision is based on advancing his personal interests and those of his private allies. The most glaring current example is the destruction of the east wing of the White House to build a “privately funded” ballroom – all while the government is shut down.
JR Valrey: Can you talk about the proposed Cop City campus that is scheduled for the Bay Area similar to what is currently in Atlanta?
Allyssa Victory: Cop City is a police headquarters and training facility being developed in San Pablo, California, that is projected to cost over $40M. There are over 50 cop cities in the country, which are large compounds that serve as training hubs for law enforcement. They are supercenters that require a lot of land and other resources to operate. The San Pablo site is projected to be 42,000 square feet including a gun range. The Atlanta site drew large environmental opposition because it will be constructed on hundreds of acres located in the Weelaunee Forest, the largest green space in Atlanta. Many of the cop city projects began after the 2020 police brutality uprisings. Cop cities will further militarize police and can operate as military bases for police. We are seeing right now how militarized police are being used across the country to repress the public. Fascism will only get worse with cop cities in our communities.
JR Valrey: Can you discuss the government’s recent plan to de-naturalize citizens? What does that mean? And if implemented, how could this affect the Black community specifically?
Allyssa Victory: Our federal laws have a process to de-naturalize citizens which would effectively strip them of citizenship. However, these laws are rarely used and have been restricted by other federal rights and the U.S. Supreme Court. Over the past several administrations, the federal government has expanded its priorities as to who can be denaturalized and increased its resources to target more people for denaturalization as part of larger anti-immigrant enforcement measures.
In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a memo outlining its priorities for expanded de-naturalization. The same memo outlined the priority to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Trump has even threatened to revoke the citizenship of celebrities and political opponents who disagree with him. It is clear that this administration intends to use the de-naturalization process as another tool to target, threaten and remove U.S. citizens.
JR Valrey is a veteran journalist who can be heard weekly on Wednesdays on 89.5FM KPOO or KPOO.com from noon to 3 p.m. His work can also be heard on www.blockreportradioworld.com.
