This American Life 880: What Is Your Emergency?
101 snips
Feb 1, 2026 
Meeky Meek, a producer who documented daily raids and archiving efforts. Anianci Diaz-Cortez, a reporter who tracked repeated Home Depot parking-lot raids and day laborer responses. Hannah Jaffe-Walt, a reporter who compiled 911 calls capturing immigration enforcement and public panic. They discuss 911 recordings, recurring parking-lot sweeps, community defenses, and a grassroots project archiving raids.
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Federal Agents Become Part Of Daily Life
- 911 calls reveal a new, pervasive presence of ICE and Border Patrol across everyday places.
- The calls create a portrait of federal agents disrupting ordinary life beyond viral videos.
Agents In The ER Disrupt Patient Care
- A patient in an ER called 911 saying self-declared ICE agents were inside interfering with care.
- Dispatchers struggled to figure out what local police could or should do in that situation.
Charlotte Calls Track A Downtown Sweep
- Multiple Charlotte callers reported ICE vehicles with covered plates, agents in tactical gear, and aggressive stops.
- Calls show citizens following, confronting, and being intimidated while dispatchers advise caution.