ICE Monitoring Networks Expand as Concerns Over Agent Activity Rise

Following high-profile incidents of ICE agent activity, including a fatal shooting in Minneapolis and increased scrutiny of enforcement tactics, community-led monitoring networks are expanding across the United States, particularly in Florida. These networks aim to inform communities about the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and protect immigrant populations from potential detention or harm.

Growing Concerns and Community Response

The expansion of these monitoring efforts comes amid growing concerns about ICE’s tactics. Recent events, such as the shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, have fueled public outrage and prompted calls for greater accountability. Protests erupted across Florida in response to the shooting and former President Trump’s policies.

In Florida, which saw nearly 10,000 ICE arrests in the first half of 2025, residents are actively monitoring and publishing alerts about ICE agent presence. These sightings are shared on platforms like ICE Activity Tracker, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

How the Networks Operate

Activists are utilizing a variety of methods to track and disseminate information about ICE activity. Jasmine Brown, a volunteer with the Gainesville Party for Socialism and Liberation, explained that her organization posts ICE sightings online, often submitted by community members. They are also developing an informal network using the encrypted messaging app Telegram and plan to expand to broader social media platforms. Community members are using a clandestine network of whistles and iPhone videos to warn neighbors about federal immigration agents.

Christina Neptune, a Miami resident, regularly posts suspected ICE agents and vehicles on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, often receiving submissions from residents fearful of public identification. Michelle Morgan, a Daytona Beach resident, participates in ICE watchdog groups on Reddit, YouTube, and Instagram, motivated by her experiences living as an immigrant in Mexico, Egypt, and Turkey.

Supreme Court Ruling and Increased Scrutiny

A recent Supreme Court ruling has legalized racial profiling as a method for ICE agents to identify potential noncitizens, allowing agents to detain, question, and hold individuals who appear Latino or speak Spanish. This has led to an increase in ICE raids and heightened concerns about civil rights violations.

Goals and Future Outlook

Activists hope that increased monitoring will deter illegal activities by ICE agents and raise awareness within communities about their rights. Neptune expressed a desire to prevent agents from “carrying out illegal activities, such as assaulting a citizen,” while Morgan advocates for the abolition of ICE, immigration law reform, and a more welcoming environment for immigrants. Morgan stated, “This should never have gotten to this point, where people are literally being shot in the street…I would simply like a more global community, a better world for everyone.”

Recent ICE Activity in Florida

During the week of February 2-9, 2026, nine ICE sighting reports were filed in Florida on the ICE Activity Tracker website, including one in Gainesville. Arrest records from that same week reveal three individuals were detained or transported by ICE at the Alachua County Jail.

As of January 9, 2026, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd publicly commented on the Minneapolis ICE shooting, stating accountability begins with local leadership. Sheriff Judd emphasized the require for a thorough investigation before drawing conclusions.