A year ago, daily life was upended for millions of people in Los Angeles after federal agents descended on the region in an intense and unprecedented immigration crackdown. Squads of armed, masked agents driving unmarked vehicles swarmed neighborhoods, stormed homes, raided work places and grabbed people off the street. The intention, in addition to mass deportation, was to sow fear in immigrant communities, regardless of their status, and it worked. Many immigrants and their families were suddenly forced to hide at home, too afraid to go to work, church or the grocery store. Even as the raids became less aggressive as the year progressed, immigrants and their families had to rework the most mundane aspects of their lives.
The ongoing struggle for immigrant families was the focus of a reporting project this spring by students at USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism and Communications called “Resilience in the Age of ICE.” The students followed families, friends and activists as they re-oriented their lives under the shadow of immigration enforcement.
Golden State is fortunate to be able to host the products of this extraordinary project told through audio and written words, and guided by these distinguished journalists and USC faculty members: Leslie Berestein Rojas, Megan Donis, Jean Guerrero and Sandy Tolan. Each episode and essay tells a story of endurance that often gets lost amid urgent daily headlines.
All photos and illustrations are courtesy of USC Annenberg unless otherwise noted.
Listen
The Transborder Experience
When a family member is deported, the rest are left with an impossible choice: stay in the place they call home, or leave it behind to start over somewhere new.
Produced by Karla Meza Cruz
Quinceañeras in a Climate of Fear
A quinceañera is meant to be all sparkle. But in L.A., where the fear of immigration enforcement lingers, even planning a party can carry risk.
Produced by Maricruz Villalobos
Children After the ICE Raids
For children growing up in immigrant families, fear follows them into classrooms, bedrooms and the quiet moments that should feel safe.
Produced by Lluva Chavez Fragoso
I Hope He Stays
A grandfather who has been a citizen for more than 60 years considers returning to Peru after witnessing a documented neighbor detained by ICE.
Produced by Kendall
Papers Don’t Calm the Panic
A documented Latina mother moves through life with constant vigilance, while her white husband struggles to fully understand that fear.
Produced by Sarah Goldstein
The Godmothers of the Disappeared
Activists Rosa and Susan use creativity and outreach to transform anxious crowds into moments of connection and solidarity.
Produced by Lizbeth Solorzano
Sanctuary & Solidarity: A Church and its Community After the Raids
As raids continue across Los Angeles, many immigrant families have retreated from public life — avoiding work, school, even trips to the grocery store. But a church has quietly stepped in to help carry daily life forward.
Produced by Jessica Dominguez
Read
The secret weapon: teachers against ICE
By Daniela Mattson
Educators across Los Angeles have mobilized to patrol and report immigration agent sightings to protect their communities.
ICE's impact reverberates throughout the San Fernando Valley
By Katherine Contreras Hernandez
An attempted raid at a car wash in the Valley highlights how ICE changed the lives of residents amid little coverage by the media.