About this episode

The episode discusses community efforts in New Orleans to resist ICE operations through mutual aid and organizing.

We speak with an organizer based in New Orleans about the community's efforts to confront ICE during a special operation that took place there in December of 2025. Among other topics, we touch on the complicated dynamics of organizing with nonprofit groups, the ways that police operations can impact community defense initiatives, and how NOLA's powerful tradition of mutual aid in the wake of Katrina has transformed into a preventative tactic against ICE kidnappings there. This conversation is part of an ongoing series we're developing on ICE resistance efforts across the country. Stay tuned for more like this soon! In the meantime, consider supporting the upcoming Week of Action in Minneapolis, from February 25th to March 1st. More info here: https://melttheicemn.com/

People in this episode

Host: The Beautiful Idea

Guest: organizer based in New Orleans

Topics covered

• mutual aid
• ICE resistance
• community defense
• nonprofit dynamics
• police operations
• New Orleans
• Katrina

Keywords

• ICE
• New Orleans
• mutual aid
• community defense
• Katrina
• police operations
• nonprofit groups
• resistance efforts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ICE, melttheicemn.com

Places: New Orleans, Minneapolis

More episodes of The Beautiful Idea

• Spy vs Fash: Chris Mathias on His New Antifascist Spy Thriller · April 29, 2026 · 1h 9m
• On the Prairieland Defendants · April 4, 2026 · 1h 20m
• Lake Effect on Anti-Deportation Organizing in Chicago · March 7, 2026 · 1h 16m
• Minneapolis Montage: Interviews from the Filter Blockades and More · February 7, 2026 · 41 min
• Fires In the Distance During Dark Days: One Year of Trump 2.0 · January 25, 2026 · 1h 21m
• ICE vs Ice On the Ground in Minneapolis · January 20, 2026 · 50 min

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