“What can I do?” This is the common refrain heard now from those who oppose the brazenly inhumane and cruel policies being implemented daily by the Trump administration. Although there is no one answer to this question, fortunately there are many different actions we can take to build momentum to return our country to its basic values of liberty, justice, dignity and equality for all.

As members of the organizations listed below, we are working to openly oppose Trump immigration policies. These threatening and cruel immigration actions have many of our neighbors scared for their safety in the most basic of daily activities. We appreciate the hundreds of people who came to the “Rally for Immigrant Rights” held by FCCPR (below) on the Greenfield Common on June 28, and we invite you to join us to do more.

We write today to tell you about a hotline and program called LUCE (pronounced “lu-say”). All of this information can be found on the website, lucemass.org. LUCE is a Massachusetts coalition of immigrant-led, organizations who have come together “with a deep commitment to keeping all of our communities safe through grassroots organizing, information sharing, and mutual aid.”

The coalition has created and is staffing a hotline (617-370-5023) for people to report ICE activity in the commonwealth. It is staffed daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., with operators speaking multiple languages. With more volunteers they hope to expand the hours and languages available. Once the hotline is contacted, LUCE trained volunteers respond to the ICE location to verify, clarify and document what is happening. In some cases, these volunteers are then able to activate a Rapid Response Network of people who have signed on to go to a quickly organized demonstration in opposition to ICE activity.

Start now. Take out your phone and put the LUCE number right in there.

Besides being informed and being part of an organized group of activists, monetary donations are highly important also. With detentions already happening in our counties, local immigrant family members are being impacted. There can be need for legal aid, housing support, food and more. We recommend donating online at the FCCPR.us website. Click on “Donate!” and “Support Our Neighbors in Need.” We contribute to local organizations who know the immediate needs of our local immigrant families.

So, although there is no one answer to the question of what we can do to stop Trump’s authoritarian (completely lacking in due process and individual rights) actions, we invite you to join us in doing what we can. From the LUCE website, the word LUCE comes from an amalgamation of a number of different words for light in various Indo-European languages. It captures the ultimate goal of the organization which is “to illuminate ICE’s actions so they cannot operate in the dark, and bringing light to our community and the commonwealth: Liberation, Union, Community, and Esperanza/Esperanca/Espoir/Espwa (Hope).”

Susanae Glovacki of Greenfield is a member of Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution (FCCPR) and also is writing on behalf of Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western MA (IN-SLWM), Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice (JAIJ), Leverett Rapid Response, Rise Up Western MA Indivisible, and Western MA Immigrant Legislative Advocacy Network (WMILAN).