Navigating ICE Raids, Responding to Fear, and Building New Systems 

Written By Anviksha Kalscheur

Right now, many families in Chicago are living with a very real, tangible fear. A knock on the door, a loved one taken into detention, a child separated from their parents. Each day, I hear of another story, see another headline.

As a therapist and as a mom, I name this plainly: It’s horrific.

At Introspective, our team is rallying around our communities. We’re finding new ways to look out for one another. We’re talking openly about what we’re experiencing, and what our clients are experiencing, and how we can all keep showing up,  in whatever ways feel authentic and sustainable. 

But I’ve also been thinking about what this means on a much broader, systemic level. Earlier this year, I coined the term “New Systems Model,” which holds the notion of a core transformation. Essentially, this framework describes how a change in old patterns leads to a breakdown of foundational structures, forcing us to rebuild new patterns and inner frameworks to serve and sustain us. 

When I think about this model in today’s context, I think about creating islands of safety, coherence, and agency — even amidst such a harsh, terrifying environment. And throughout this chaos, there are people who are cleaning up the destruction that is happening, building new systems, and leading us to a better, more humane future. 

What’s Breaking

The impact of our old systems cracking is creating deep fear. And when fear enters the picture, there’s a tendency to “other” and blame one another. There’s also a very human desire to grasp tightly to the old system, because the unknown feels threatening or scary. 

The desire to grasp tightly to the old system because of fear and threat results in taking actions where families are being torn apart. Communities are being traumatized. Our nation’s institutions are functioning as agents of harm, rather than agents of protection. The instability and fear landing on these families is the rubble of a broken structure. 

We know this much: the old systems have failed us. These old systems that were built on fear, patriarchy, and survival no longer serve us. We cannot go back to what once was. We now face an invitation to face this collapse — and start to imagine what we might be able to grow and build. 

What’s Holding

When big systems wobble, people and communities hold the structure. Here in Chicago, we’re seeing our neighborhoods come together with new energy and determination to protect our most vulnerable. Holding the structure looks like “Know your rights” guides, hotlines, and legal teams whose first priority is to keep families safe and together. 

The City of Chicago and the State of Illinois have also enacted directives that limit cooperation with federal enforcement on city property. These practical boundaries act as harm-reduction measures — containing the immediate damage while deeper repair work continues.  

What’s Growing

In response to such wide and unjust terror, we’re seeing the seeds of new, community-based systems take root. Neighborhood and citywide networks are building sturdy, repeatable support systems: rapid-response lines, legal screenings, court accompaniment, and child-focused care plans are just a few of the ways our neighbors are showing up. 

On paper, these actions might look small. But they add up. Each one is a micro-upgrade: a simple, humane, repeatable solution that directly impacts outcomes for real families. 

There are people today who are creating the scaffolding for new systems and rebuilding from the ground up. Once that “rubble” is finally cleared, we’ll have a strong and loving structure in place. One built on compassion, curiosity, and care.

Finding Your Role, Inside and Out

In moments like this, action doesn’t only mean marching or organizing. Inner actions count. They help your nervous system integrate what’s happening so your outer actions are steadier, kinder, and more sustainable. What happens on the inside is reflected in your external world and vice versa. Change requires both internal action and external action. 

Start Inside: The Core Transformational Work 

  • Regulate: Try a 90-second coherence breath (inhale 5, exhale 5, nine rounds). Place a hand over your heart; remind your body, “I am here. I can choose the next right thing.” 

  • Name and Feel: Give honest language to what you’re experiencing—fear, anger, grief, without shaming yourself. Feelings are data that help you choose wisely.

  • Grieve and Honor: Acknowledge what felt protective in the “old way” and what it cost. Small rituals (a candle, a journal line, a prayer) help the body metabolize stress.

  • Set Boundaries: Create media limits, decline re-traumatizing conversations, prioritize sleep, food, movement, and connection.

  • Co-Regulate: Lean on trusted people; offer and receive steady presence. We don’t heal in isolation.

Then Act Outside: The New Systems Work 

Choose your scale:

  • Micro (home/relationships): Practice calm door protocols with kids; share “know your rights” scripts; be the steady neighbor.

  • Meso (community): Join or support rapid-response networks; accompany a friend to court; coordinate school pickup back-ups; donate to legal aid.

  • Macro (shared life): Support organizations building humane policies; share accurate info; show up when your voice or vote is needed.

Keep it “minimum viable.” One hotline saved in your phone, one family safety plan printed, one monthly check-in with your support circle. Small and repeatable beats grand and exhausting.

Three Questions to Guide You

  • What do I have capacity for today—internally and externally?

  • Who near me needs steady presence, resources, or connection?

  • What small, repeatable action aligns with my values this week?

Remember: whether you’re offering meals, standing by at school pickup, funding legal help, or tending your nervous system so you can be a grounded parent or clinician—it all counts. Inner coherence is not separate from justice work; it’s what makes justice work sustainable.

A Gentle Close

Pick one inner practice and one outer step for the next seven days. Celebrate the follow-through, learn from the friction, adjust. This is how we build the new system—inside our bodies and between us—one small, intentional act at a time.

Explore additional resources 

Anviksha Kalscheur
Next

Back to School: A Therapist’s Perspective on a Smooth Transition