About Us

---

This week, ABC15 embedded with People First Project, which operates a volunteer network in Phoenix that tracks, follows, records, and alerts community members about the existence of ICE agents. In a matter of minutes, the volunteer network can alert thousands of people about ICE operations, of which People First Project estimates around two dozen are carried out every day in metro Phoenix alone.

Beyond the posts and videos circulating on social media, which warn of ICE presence or raids in Phoenix, there is an "Invisible Army" of volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to monitoring the operations and demanding that immigrants' rights be respected.

These are the more than 14,000 volunteers with whom the People First Project works.

On the morning of December 16, multiple traffic stops in San Tan Valley resulted in the arrest of several drivers by federal agents. 

The FBI allowed representatives from the People First Project onto the scene to help negotiate with the family still inside the home.

People First Project  is now fundraising to help the legal defense fund for the family impacted.

AVONDALE , Arizona – What authorities described as a traffic stop ended with a chase, a barricade, and the arrest of two people, including a father, by ICE and FBI agents .

Sheriff Jerry Sheridan also spoke and expressed great confidence in his department to engage in constitutional policing, although he made something of a Freudian slip.

“There is no one on the planet, as much as me, who wants my deputies to be biased,” Sheridan told the crowd before correcting himself. “Unbiased. No one, next to the court, wants unbiased policing more than me.”

An Avondale woman said her husband and uncle are in federal custody following a standoff but she disputes a claim that the pair rammed an ICE car on Thursday. Federal officials said the two men in a white pickup truck hit an ICE car in the area of Litchfield and Lower Buckeye roads around 8 a.m. But 21-year-old Charlyn Flores claims ICE rammed the men’s truck. Stephanie Duprey has more on the doorbell video of the incident.

“I cannot imagine the trauma that child experienced in that situation, how they sat through the rest of the day in their classroom,” Hobbs told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos on Tuesday.

Founder of The People First Project also told ABC 15 there has been an uptick in ICE interactions near schools and is aware of around 40 cases in the last week.

The governor added that ICE detaining adults while they are walking their children to school doesn’t make anyone safer.

“In fact, it probably creates more danger,” Hobbs said. “Now kids are going to be walking to school alone or not going to school.”

Rep. Ansari, who serves as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 3rd congressional district and is the youngest female member of Congress, criticized ICE's tactics following reported operations around Roosevelt School District facilities.

"Can you imagine being a kid on your way to school, watching your parent get kidnapped by ICE? No child should carry that fear," Ansari stated. 

“One of the things you can do is pull over and film. If you’re there, you’re holding them accountable,” Vela said. “We’re watching every day as people are being taken.”

Vela also encouraged people to reject ICE agents’ requests to enter homes if they don’t have authorization, using language like, “I don’t have to open the door. Where’s your warrant? Come back with a warrant.”

Her organization also responds to ICE sightings and tries to assist community members being targeted by responding to ICE sightings reported to a hotline at (888) 354-4594.

A large police presence and investigation involving federal officials caused a traffic slowdown along Interstate 17 in north Phoenix early Wednesday morning.

Before 4:30 a.m., first responders started gathering on the freeway near the Dove Valley Road exit.

Video from the scene showed a large traffic backup amid the police presence on the off-ramp.

Photos from the scene show damage to the driver’s side window of Garcia-Sorto’s car but none to the windshield, as would be expected if Garcia-Sorto was driving directly at the ICE agent who fired. It’s unclear if there was other damage to the vehicle. ICE did not answer a question from New Times about whether the damage to the car’s window was from a bullet or from something else.them.