On January 10, more than 180 community members gathered at the Peace Circle in Chippewa Falls for an ICE accountability rally — one of the largest winter turnouts the valley had seen.

The message was clear: immigrant families are our neighbors, and our community won’t look the other way. Speakers called for transparency, accountability, and an end to the fear that had settled over parts of western Wisconsin since the ICE surge began weeks earlier.

The rally’s Facebook post reached 87,000 people — a sign of how deeply the issue resonated across the region. CVI’s rapid-response network, built in the weeks before, was already moving thousands of pounds of food and supplies to families in need. This rally put a public face on the private work.