A local nonprofit that provides support for immigrant groups is stepping up its advocacy following a rise in local immigration enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The organization, Faith in Action Bay Area, coordinates legal and community assistance for individuals and families affected by ICE through a program called the Rapid Response Network, which provides quick support to those who have been arrested or detained.
Faith in Action’s organizers, who are immigrant women from San Mateo County, created the Rapid Response Network in 2016 following the election of President Donald Trump.
Nani Friedman, the organization’s research, policy, and communications organizer, said that the women were inspired by crises they lived through and wanted to support other immigrants going through similar experiences.
“These women had experienced ICE coming to their houses and detaining family members, so they came together,” Friedman said. “They thought, ‘what are we going to do to support other families who are in fear, and how can we create something that can help other people?’”
ICE detained about 59,000 immigrants nationwide in 2025, a 50% increase from late 2024, according to VisaVerge. In response, local organizations such as Faith in Action say they are expanding efforts to provide assistance to those affected by the rise in enforcement, according to Friedman.
The Rapid Response Network was established to fulfill this mission, consisting of organizations from across San Mateo County pooling resources and coordinating to send immediate legal support to ICE detainees.
According to Friedman, local communities can also contribute to the cause by providing economic support to affected families.
“We are doing grassroots fundraising to be able to provide three months worth of rent and basic living expenses, and this is all because community members are coming together,” Friedman said. “[People affected by ICE] urgently need additional legal support. There’s a huge gap in our existing support system that is really important for our community to step up and pitch in.”
Going forward, Faith in Action plans to continue collaborating with local communities to assist those who are affected by ICE, according to Friedman.
“We have red cards with the hotline and your constitutional rights, as well as yellow cards and posters,” Friedman said. “Spreading that information and ensuring everybody can call if they see potential ICE activity is crucial because that activates the whole support network. … The hotline doesn’t matter if our community doesn’t use it. It really starts and ends with the community.”