Vashon Community Response 

Show Up for Our Community!

Also visit our new Community Defense page!

TO REPORT ICE ACTIVITY: Call Vashon Community Response Dispatch at 564-225-2161

It’s no longer a question of IF. It’s a matter of WHEN.

ICE is now actively terrorizing communities in King County and in our state. It’s only a matter of time until they come onto our island. This is a very frightening thought for all of us. They purport to only be going after people who have committed crimes and aren’t in the US legally. But we all know this isn’t the case, most prominently as evidenced by events in Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, and most recently Minneapolis. People of every race, legal status, and walk of life have been beaten, detained, terrorized. Kept in reportedly monstrously inhumane conditions. And, in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, they were shot in cold blood for the “crime” of trying to help their fellow citizens.

So how do we prepare, and how do we react? What can we do to keep Vashon families and our community safe? While we cannot prevent ICE from coming to Vashon, we CAN prepare ourselves to safely and legally make their visit as uncomfortable as possible.

ICE Response in Our Community: How YOU Can Help

Sign up today to join Vashon Community Response and receive more information. 

EMAIL vashoncommunityresponse@gmail.com and include:

             – Your full name

             – Phone number

Note: Group members will be required to attend a States at the Core online training (90 minutes).

States at the Core is hosting ongoing Community Defense and ICE Watch webinars. These are a great intro to what’s worked in Chicago and Minneapolis. They’re continually updated, and they run often.

When:

• April 24, 2026 – Beyond ICE Watch: Building a Community Defense Network
• April 29, 2026 – ICE Out Everywhere: Stop the Mass Deportation Machine
• May 6, 2026 – Creative Action: How to Build and Amplify Actions that Have Impact (Sign Interpreted)
• May 8, 2026 – Beyond ICE Watch: Building a Community Defense Network
• May 13, 2026 – ICE Out Everywhere: Stop the Mass Deportation Machine
• May 20, 2026 – ICE Watch & Community Defense
• May 27, 2026 – Beyond ICE Watch: Building a Community Defense Network

Sign Up HERE 

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More Info:

Guidelines for Bystanders and Observers: In the U.S., everyone has certain constitutional rights and protections regardless of their immigration status — or who is president. You have the legal right to film police and/or immigration officers if they are in a public place and if the filming does not impede the performance of their duties.

Documenting ICE activity:

• Stay at a safe distance: The general rule is about 10 feet. Assess your own risk tolerance and “safety zone” ahead of time, so that you can stay calm under stress. If you’re asked to step back, take a step back while repeating: “I am exercising my right to record and document.”
• If the officer gets too close: Say, “I am stepping back and have the right to record.” Speak in a calm, audible voice.
• Protect video content on your phone: Make sure your phone is passcode protected. Disable fingerprint or face recognition. You might also consider equipping yourself with a wearable camera, both to keep your hands free and eliminate the danger of your phone being snatched.
• Focus your recording of ICE officers: Record all the way through the incident. Narrate what you’re seeing. Say the date and time.
• DO NOT GO LIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Please protect the privacy and safety of the people being detained.
• ALWAYS do a self-risk assessment in advance about what your personal “safe distance” is. For some, 6-10 feet may suffice, others may feel comfortable with 20+ feet. Practice what your safe distance looks/feels like so you are comfortable under stress.

What to document:

• ICE officer identification: Name, badge, uniforms, vests
• Date, Time, Location: Location with specific address
• Language used by officers: Hate speech and identity speech (racist, sexist, homophobic), incorrect or unproven statements
• Enforcement Agency vehicles: If they are marked or the license plate states Police, Sheriff, Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration Enforcement (ICE), unmarked but possible government vehicles
• Violence or physical force: Pushing, shoving, grabbing, violence during arrests, damaging of property

Add this SALUTE webform to your phone’s home screen or contacts. It guides you through what information to capture about an action (in a draft text), which you can edit before copying and pasting into a text to the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) (‭1-844-724-3737‬) to activate Indivisible Vashon’s Rapid Response.

TO REPORT ICE ACTIVITY: Call Vashon Community Response at 564-225-2161

TO RECEIVE ALERTS ABOUT ICE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA: Sign up for alerts with Stopicealert.ddns.net

SEND VIDEOS, NOTES, PICTURES: Please send to the WAISN hotline.

VASHON-SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

• Homeland Security (DHS) regularly visits Vashon to carry out ferry security. To date, they are not doing immigration sweeps and they do not wear masks. If you think you see ICE, please take photos, note the time/place, and then report to the WAISN hotline asap to help determine whether your sighting is a ferry check or something more.
• Our Immigrant/Refugee Rights Team has many things already in place on the island. They have been working closely with our immigrant community to set up teams to do Rapid Response, Accompaniment, Court Watch, Fundraising, etc. If you would like to get involved and get training, please contact Jenna.
• When ICE comes to Vashon, they likely WON’T be spending the night as we don’t have hotels on the island. This means we won’t have the opportunity to disrupt their sleep (aww shucks…) but we can still make noise and alert others to their presence.
• UPDATED WHISTLE KITS: One of our amazing Leadership Team members, Evan, has whistle kits! Please fill out this form to request kits, learn how to use them, or volunteer to help out.
• Check out the Community Defense page on the website.

Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, May 13

Do the Thing That You Are Going to Do Job Fair

When: 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30)

Where: Vashon United Methodist Church, 17928 Vashon Hwy SW

Upcoming Dates: Wednesday June 10, Wednesday July 8

View Slides from Past Monthly Meetings HERE

WA Stand Strong Against DOJ Voter Data Suit

The DOJ alleges that Secretary Hobbs violated the Civil Rights Act of 1960 by refusing to hand over the state’s full, unredacted voter registration list. They are seeking sensitive data, including:

• Full names and residential addresses.
• Full dates of birth.
• Driver’s license numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.

As of April 2026, the case is finally moving forward after months of procedural delays. The DOJ recently struggled with basic service-of-process requirements, but the state was officially served last month. Washington has until May 12, 2026, to file its formal response in court.

Secretary Hobbs has taken a firm stance against the request, characterizing it as an overreach that threatens voter privacy.

• Privacy Protections: Hobbs argues that Washington state law explicitly bars the release of private data like Social Security numbers and full birth dates, even to federal authorities, without a clear legal mandate that overrides state privacy statutes.
• Security Concerns: His office has pointed out that the DOJ hasn’t specified how this data will be stored, who will have access to it, or if it will be shared with other agencies (like ICE or CBP).
• Quotes: Hobbs has stated he is “standing strong” against efforts to centralize this data, while his spokesperson noted the lack of transparency from the federal government regarding their ultimate goal for the information

Attorney General Nick Brown is leading the legal defense for the state. His office is coordinating with a coalition of other states facing similar lawsuits (including Oregon and Minnesota).

• Federal Litigation: Brown has integrated this defense into a broader strategy; his office is currently involved in over 20 lawsuits against federal executive orders that Washington views as unlawful or harmful to state residents.
• Legal Strategy: The AG’s office is expected to argue that the federal government lacks the constitutional authority to compel the handover of unredacted private information that is protected by state-level privacy rights.

• The Political Context

• Legislative Support: Senator Maria Cantwell and other state leaders have publicly backed Hobbs, calling the DOJ’s demands an “unauthorized attempt to centralize sensitive data” that could lead to unwarranted voter roll purges.
• Opposition: Conversely, the Washington State GOP has criticized Hobbs, suggesting the refusal is a way to hide “automatic voter registration” issues and arguing that federal law on records retention should take precedence over state privacy concerns.
• Here is the Secretary Hobb’s response to the DOJ last year. Sec Steve Hobb’s Letter to DOJ

Possible script:

Dear Secretary Hobbs and Attorney General Brown,

My name is ________ from Vashon and I am writing to express my strong support and gratitude for your firm stance in United States v. Hobbs. Your refusal to hand over our state’s unredacted voter database to the federal government is a vital defense of the privacy and security of every Washingtonian.

The Department of Justice’s claim that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 compels the release of sensitive personal information—including full birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and Social Security digits—is a deeply concerning interpretation of federal law. While the DOJ frames this as an “oversight” requirement to ensure compliance with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), their lack of transparency regarding data storage and potential sharing with other agencies suggests a far more intrusive motive.

We are specifically grateful that you are holding the line against:

• The Biometric-to-ICE Pipeline: The concern that this data could be funneled to agencies like DHS or ICE for immigration enforcement or unauthorized national databases is real, and your commitment to state privacy statutes is our best defense against such a “data grab.”
• Unsecured Centralization: As your office has noted, the DOJ has failed to provide a clear plan for how this sensitive data would be secured or protected from future breaches.

It is also encouraging to see Washington leading a powerful coalition in this fight. Knowing that AG Brown is collaborating with attorneys general from California, Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Nevada (among 23 other jurisdictions) reinforces that this is not just a local issue, but a critical movement to preserve the constitutional authority of states to administer their own elections.

Thank you for your diligence and for “standing strong” to ensure that transparency in our elections does not come at the cost of our personal safety and privacy.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Attorney General Nick Brown CONTACT

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs CONTACT

Elections, Viktor Orbán and You

Rejoice! Hungary’s strongman Orbán has lost power through the democratic election process. The people of Hungary have proven that winning an election in an authoritarian state is indeed possible. Our Build a Progressive Majority team is reaching out across the country right now to discover how to support candidates in battleground elections. 

Email Kevin at kevin@indivisiblevashon.org if you could help communicate those discoveries.

Building Power With Indivisible

Specifically HOW does Indivisible achieve political influence? Find out in this conversation between Simon Rosenberg of the Hopium Chronicles and Ezra Levin of Indivisible.

Hopium Chronicles

Jayapal Town Hall

Representative Pramila Jayapal came to Vashon! Couldn’t attend the Town Hall? Watch the YouTube recording HERE.

Stop Trump’s War with Iran

The American public is firmly against Trump’s war against Iran. Congress must act. Email Senators Cantwell and Murray and Rep. Jayapal to demand they use every lever available to rein in the administration and prevent further escalation. They are spending over $1 billion a day of our tax monies on this unauthorized war – not another dime!

Contact

King County Sheriff Immigration Survey

The King County Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) has created a survey to gather input from community stakeholders on policies and practices regarding immigration matters. 

When: deadline April 30

Survey: HERE

Questions: OLEOpolicy@kingcounty.gov

Reject the Deportation & Detention Agenda

Trump and DHS are trying to use money from the Big Ugly Bill to do a massive expansion in detention facilities across the country. They have been buying properties and converting warehouses into camps that will hold human beings in dangerous and horrifying conditions. 

We have a chance to stop this expansion by speaking up and demanding that our elected officials speak up, too. Write Senators Murray and Cantwell and Rep. Jayapal to demand they use their power as your elected officials to reject localized expansions of Trump’s mass detention and deportation agenda.

Contact

More Info – Seattle

Stop the GOP’s New Voter Suppression Legislation

Republicans are once again pushing for a series of voter suppression bills – all variations of their infamous “SAVE Act” – which would create unnecessary obstacles for millions of eligible Americans trying to register to vote. Tell Senators Cantwell and Murry and Rep. Jayapal to vote NO on the SAVE Act, the MEGA Act, or any similar bill that attacks our voting rights.

Contact 

Take Action Network (TAN)

The Take Action Network is a fabulous way to keep up on the progress of bills moving through the WA State Senate and House concerning de-masking ICE, use of FLOCK surveillance cameras, and the WA Dept. of Licensing sharing of data. You get the opportunity to sign in PRO on the bills you support. Over 14,000 people signed in support of the de-masking bill while it was in committee!

You can easily find actions that you can take to help support your values. You can set up a search that will send you an email each time there are new actions that meet your criteria. Or, when you are ready to take some action, you can log on and see what is available. TAN is especially useful during the Washington State Legislative Session as bill trackers are posting actions just about daily.

Sound intimidating? We are here to help!

• Review a TAN demo video at: https://bit.ly/TAN-Indi-Invitation (go to page 2)
• Sign up for online TAN training sessions at https://bit.ly/TAN-Training-Dates-2026. 
• We have our very own in-house TAN expert that will give you a one-on-one training at your home! Email Evan at lockejaw1704@gmail.com for one-on-one TAN training.

Build a Progressive Majority

Phone Bank to Help Flip the House in November 

Message from the Co-Founder of Indivisible:

“We all know that fascism does not announce defeat purely because an historic number of people come out on a Saturday. But it was more than a day of joy, courage, community, and headlines – it was a welcome orientation for millions of new patriotic Americans to get connected to the fight where they live. That gives us an opportunity to build the movement and escalate.” ~ Ezra Levin, Indivisible co-founder

Message from a Fellow Indivisible Member:

Did you feel the vibe shift this past couple of weeks? Fascism is losing. Trump is flailing.

Viktor Orbán, whose strategies formed the role model for Project 2025, was soundly defeated on Sunday in a “too big to rig” election, after 16 years of authoritarian rule. Oh yeah, and Trump and Vance campaigned for him.

Meanwhile, Trump’s increasingly foolish decisions in Iran (attempting to block the Strait of Hormuz while gas prices skyrocket), combined with his increasingly delusional behavior online (posting himself as Jesus), have once-loyal MAGA influencers and triple-Trumpers jumping ship. (And, deliciously, JD’s Tour of Humiliation continued when Erika Kirk — and the crowds — stood him up at a near-empty Turning Point USA event where he was heckled constantly.) Approval ratings continue to plummet.

If the Hungarian people can regain control we can, too. The only way Trump can win in the midterms is by cheating, suppressing votes, and using violence. We all need to channel our hope and our energies, then visualize and act on the change we need. Dig in!

~ Kathy Rickard, Leadership Team

Want more? Read Substacks from Steven Beschloss

and Heather Delaney Reese

Vashon2Voters What’s The Plan? 

 Vashon2Voters Postcards

Policy Action Team

Be in Community!

Lost and Found

We’re in possession of a men’s jacket and two water bottles that would like to find their way back to their owners. Please contact us, describe the item, and we’ll happily return them to you.

Donate to Indivisible Vashon

Indivisible Vashon is all-volunteer and people-powered. Help us cover expenses like meeting location insurance, outreach materials, postcards and stamps, protest supplies and more.

We’ve made it easier for you to donate! We now have a Venmo account. Just scan the QR code above with your phone camera. You can also search in Venmo.com for @Indivisible-Vashon. Don’t Venmo? We still happily accept checks (made out to “Kevin Jones for Indivisible Vashon”) or cash!

Thank you so much for your support and if you have questions about how donations are used, please contact us. 

Vashon Families Continue to Need Our Help

Thank you for improving food security for our community during these challenging times. Please continue to support island families hurt by SNAP cuts or federal furloughs by donating food, supplies, or funds. 

Vashon Maury Community Food Bank: Did you know that your $1.00 donation can buy $1.80 in food?

DONATE    Mail checks to: Vashon Maury Community Food Bank, P.O. Box 1205, Vashon, WA  98070

Vashon Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness: A special fund has been set up to supply food gift cards to our two island grocery stores. (Type “Food” in “Add special instructions to the seller.”)

DONATE    Mail checks to: IFCH, P.O. Box 330, Vashon, WA 98070 (Write FOOD in the memo).

Qualified Charitable Distribution: If you’re 70½ or older, or you are required to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from an inherited IRA, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly to charitable organizations, like the Vashon-Maury Community Food Bank, and reduce your taxable income — even if you don’t itemize deductions. QCDs count toward your Required Minimum Distribution and are one of the easiest and most impactful ways to give. See the Qualified Charitable Distribution instructions HERE.

Support Immigrants & Refugees by Donating Locally Today

Gear Up For Protesting, Show Your Indivisible Pride

& Help Grow the Movement

INDIVISIBLE VASHON MERCH – NEW ITEMS HAVE BEEN ADDED!

Our amazing in-house designer Jenna has created a Zazzle shop where we can order t-shirts, tote bags, car flags, hats, and more with designs unique to us! Let us know what else you’d like to see. Think: “Use Your Outside Voice”, “Hate Has No Place Here”, etc. We all have ordered tee shirts and sweatshirts and they seem to run true to size, are good quality, medium-weight fabric, and the printing is high quality. Check out the shop and let us know what you think.

Order NOW for upcoming protests and just to spread the word about Indivisible Activism! Order Soon!

Indivisible Vashon Zazzle SHOP

Come Join Us!

• Actions Tracker: Read a Substack Newsletter or follow a trusted news source? Help us turn what you learn into Action Alerts to help fellow Indivisible members know what actions to take to fight the Regime.
• Social Media: Do you have a Facebook, BlueSky or other Social Media page? Help us amplify the posts that Indivisible Vashon puts out and also help post on our pages.
• Video/Multimedia: Have experience with making videos (even just on your iPhone!) or editing, production? We would love for you to help film segments that could then be shared via YouTube, on our Website, or Social Media platforms.
• Poster Crew: Join our group who helps hang posters around town to advertise our upcoming events.
• Marketing Background: Do you have a background in Marketing and would like to help our Communications Strategy Team?
• Elected Official Liaison: Create a connection with one of our elected Representative’s teams — so that we know up to date information from them and vice versa.
• Climate Action Plan Team: Help us to move forward the King County Climate Action Plan.
• Washington Indivisilbe Legislative Action: Help track legislation and provide actions for members to take to support legislation in the 2026 WA State Legislative Session.

Email Action.Alerts@IndivisibleVashon.org to sign up or get more information.

Let’s Keep Up the Pressure!! The GOP and the Current Regime are Showing Cracks and Weakening!!

Want to learn what is going on with Indivisible in Washington State? Check out the new website for the Washington Indivisible Network (WIN)! 

NEW Washington Indivisible Network Website – HERE

Still Want More Action Options?

• 5Calls.com
• Chop Wood, Carry Water Substack by Jessica Craven
• Take Action Network (TAN)
• Hopium Cronicles Substack by Simon Rosenberg
• Mobilize.com
• Indivisible National

Trusted News & Information Sources

• Indivisible National
• Washington Indivisible Network
• 1440
• PBS News
• National Public Radio
• Rachel Maddow Show
• Jessica Yellen – News Not Noise
• Talking Points Memo
• Project 2025 Information
• Substack Newsletters – www.substack.com and then search the names below:
• – Heather Cox Richardson
• – Jay Kuo
• – Joyce Vance
• – Andrew Weissman
• – The Contrarian
• – The Grassroots Connector