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September 15, 2026

What To Do During an ICE Encounter in Pittsburgh

City Cast Pittsburgh

What To Do During an ICE Encounter in Pittsburgh

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Community leaders and business owners in Beechview — the heart of Pittsburgh's Latino community — say ICE activity has been increasing in the neighborhood over the past few weeks. It's hard to get reliable data, but incidents at Las Palmas grocery store have left residents rattled. One business owner described ICE as "terrorizing the whole neighborhood right now."
With this in mind, we're bringing back our conversation with Vanessa Stine, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania. She joins us to explain what happens during an ICE stop or raid, what rights immigrants have regardless of their legal status, and how bystanders can help during an ICE encounter. 

Read or listen to a summary of this conversation in Spanish.

**This episode originally aired April 2, 2025.

Looking for more help and resources? 

  • The ACLU of Pennsylvania has Know Your Rights guides available in English and Spanish.
  • If you believe you've witnessed ICE activity in the Pittsburgh area or have any other concerns, you can call the main line at Casa San José: 412-343-3111.
  • If you are experiencing ICE detention, you can call their emergency response line: 412-736-7167.
  • Find the latest data on ICE arrests and removals at TRAC.
  • Listen to our podcast episode about Frontline Dignity, a local rapid response network, and learn how you can sign up for their next training.

👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893 or email pittsburgh@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! 

💌 You can get more Pittsburgh news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the City Cast Pittsburgh morning newsletter. 

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Learn more about the sponsors of this Tuesday, September 15th episode:

Carnegie Library

City Theatre

Visit Athens Ohio

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