Ways to Resist

Ways We Can Resist

It’s normal to feel fear, anger, or denial. Benton County has deep civic resilience. We can help protect it by being smart, disciplined, and united. Now, we heighten vigilance, increase resilience, and practice nonviolence.

Stay informed with reliable sources, such as local reporting (OPB, Oregon Capital Chronicle); national outlets (AP, Reuters, PBS, NPR); and official city, county, or state updates.

Share only trusted information. Keep social posts factual and verified. Avoid amplifying unverified rumors.

Sign up for ICE Watch & human observer training. Training dates are often included in these newsletters.

Document everything (safely). If you record police or military activity, note date/time/location, take multiple angles, gather witness info. Upload and back up copies to cloud storage immediately so footage isn’t lost. Send copies to legal observers, your group’s leaders, and trusted media contacts.

Know legal helplines and resources, and use them only if warranted. Remember, lines must be open for real cases. Oregon DOJ bias/rights reporting hotline: 1-844-924-BIAS (2427); see Oregon legal aid referral pages for more help.

Know your rights and share them widely. ACLU Oregon’s “Know Your Rights” page provides resources for immigrants, protestors, targets of unlawful police surveillance, trans folk, and youth/students. Portland National Lawyers Guild provides links to online resources.

Do not confront counter-protestors, agitators, or white supremacists. hese groups are seeking provocation and may be dangerous. Prioritize de-escalation, documentation, and reporting.

Report misconduct by federal agents in Oregon. The Oregon DOJ’s Federal Oversight and Accountability Reporting Form can be found here. The Oregon DOJ will use the reports to document concerns, identify patterns, and better understand broader issues over time.

Support legal challenges. Back state lawsuits that contest the deployment’s legality; donate to legal funds and sign petitions that hold authorities to account. (Oregon DOJ has been busy and successful! We can amplify and support these efforts.)

Defend institutions. Chip in to legal funds and watchdogs (ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, SCOTUS watch groups) that are litigating to stop unlawful removals and preserve separation of powers.

Help build broad coalitions. Bring labor, faith, immigrant-rights, civil-liberties, and neighborhood groups to public and peaceful actions. These cross-cutting coalitions make it harder for the administration to frame resistance as fringe.

Protect voting & district fights. Volunteer, donate, or petition with organizers and voting-rights groups; share toolkits from Democracy Docket and local partners.