People Over Papers Today
People Over Papers is a free community map for reported ICE raids, checkpoints, and vehicle sightings across all 50 states. View recent ICE activity or send an anonymous report about what you saw. The map opens in your browser, so you do not need to download an app.
Privacy reminder: Share only a city, neighborhood, or general area. Leave out names, faces, home addresses, license plates, phone numbers, and anyone’s immigration status.
About People Over Papers
People Over Papers is a community-led project that collects reports of possible U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, activity. It puts those reports on a map so people can check what others have seen nearby.
People sometimes call it a “Waze for ICE” because the information comes from people sharing sightings. You can open a report to see where and when someone noticed possible enforcement activity.
The map does not track officers through GPS. It shows what people report, which may include a suspected raid, checkpoint, parked vehicle, or encounter with possible immigration officers.
Each report has its own details. Some include photos and clear descriptions. Others contain less information or still need checking.
You can use the map to read reports near your city or send details about something you saw. Keep the report about the activity and protect the people involved.
People over Papers map
Community Map Checklist
Confirm these three points before opening the community map.
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How The Map Works
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Send a Report
Someone sees possible ICE activity and sends a report. They include the general area, the time it happened, and a short account of what they saw. A photo or video can help if it is safe to share.
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Volunteers Check It
Volunteers check reports and look for details that support them. They may compare photos, read other reports, or contact trusted local groups.
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Read Map Reports
Once a report is published, visitors can open its map pin and read the details. The full report tells you more than the pin’s color or location alone.
Reports depend on what people see and send. Activity may happen without anyone reporting it, and some reports arrive after an event has ended.
A useful report gives readers a clear place, time, and description. When a detail is missing, leave it unknown rather than guessing what happened.
ICE Activity Reports
People report different kinds of suspected ICE activity. A raid, checkpoint, and vehicle sighting are not the same. Use the details below to describe what was actually seen without guessing.
ICE Raid Reports
What to describe: Suspected enforcement at a place, such as a workplace or public area. Include the time, vehicle count, and actions you saw.
Keep in mind: Parked vehicles alone do not prove a raid. Mention a detention only if you saw it, without identifying the person. Do not guess who was targeted or why.
ICE Checkpoint Reports
What to describe: People or vehicles being stopped and checked. Give the general area and time. Note any repeated stops, barriers, agency names, or officers speaking with drivers.
Keep in mind: A traffic stop or road closure may have another purpose. If the agency or purpose is unclear, say so. An earlier checkpoint may have closed.
ICE Vehicle Sightings
What to describe: Vehicles you think may be linked to ICE. Include any agency name you could read, the vehicle type and count, and whether they were parked or moving.
Keep in mind: An unmarked van or SUV alone does not identify ICE. Other drivers use similar vehicles. Leave out license plates, do not follow vehicles, and say if you were unsure of the agency. Report only what you could see safely.
Suspected ICE Activity
What to describe: Officials speaking with people, gathering near a building, or carrying equipment when you do not know why they are there.
Keep in mind: Say what you could not confirm. “I could not identify the agency” is clearer than guessing from clothing or a shared message.
ICE Activity Near You
- City and state
- Dates and filters
- Report details
Start with your city and state. Move the map to the area you need, then check the available date and report filters. Include the state when searching because some cities share the same name.
Read Nearby Pins
Open nearby pins one at a time. Read where the event happened, when it happened, and what the person saw. Check whether the written location matches the area you are interested in.
Check Written Locations
A pin may cover a whole neighborhood. Its position does not always show an exact street or building. Use the location written in the report.
Compare Nearby Reports
If several reports appear close together, compare their times and descriptions. They may describe different events, different views of one event, or the same report sent more than once.
Before warning neighbors about current activity, look for an update or check with a trusted local rapid response group.
Recent ICE Reports
Check when the activity happened before treating a report as current. The event time shows when someone saw it. The submission time shows when they sent the report.
For example, a report sent at noon could describe vehicles seen at 8:30 that morning. It is a new post about an older sighting. This is an example, not a real alert.
Read the Full Date
Read the full date too. A report sent after midnight may describe the previous evening. If the time zone is unclear, avoid changing the time when sharing it with someone in another state.
Check the Last Observation
Look for details about when the person arrived or left. “The vehicles were there when I left at 9:10” tells you what they saw at that time. It does not tell you whether the vehicles are there now.
Older reports can show what people reported during an earlier period. Check their dates before sharing them as fresh warnings.
Report ICE Activity
A useful ICE report answers three questions:
- When did it happen?
- Where was it?
- What did you see?
Use the reporting option on the community map and follow the form’s instructions. Write down the main details first, especially if some time has passed since the sighting.
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When It Happened
Give the date and the time as closely as you can. If you did not check a clock, write “about” rather than making up an exact minute.
Say how long you watched. If you passed through an area for two minutes, describe those two minutes. Do not add what you think happened before you arrived or after you left.
If you report later, keep the original event time. Using the time you sent the form makes an older sighting look new.
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Where It Happened
Give the city, state, and general neighborhood or public area allowed by the form. Readers need enough detail to understand the area without learning where a private person lives.
Check the place name and state before sending. A wrong state or a similar county name can put a report far from where it happened.
Leave out home addresses, apartment numbers, and other details that identify a household. Follow the form’s location rules if they ask for less detail.
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What You Observed
Describe the vehicles, uniforms, visible agency names, number of officials, and actions you saw. Keep those details separate from what you think they mean.
Count only the vehicles you actually saw.
If you could read an agency name, say that. If you only saw dark clothing or an unmarked vehicle, say that instead. Clothing alone may not tell you which agency was present.
Do not guess anyone’s immigration status, nationality, reason for detention, or role in an investigation. You can describe the activity without adding private details about the people involved.
Photos And Video
Share a photo or video only if you took it safely and it follows the map’s rules. You do not need to approach officials or move closer to an active scene to make a report useful.
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Check the whole image for faces, license plates, home addresses, documents, phone screens, and people in the background. Hide private details without changing what the image shows.
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If someone else sent you a video, explain that. Do not describe it as your own recording.
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If you cannot remove private details safely, send a written description instead. Explain that sharing the photo could identify someone.
ICE Report Checklist
Check the source, time, area, and privacy before continuing.
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ICE Report Examples
These examples show how to write a report. They are not real events or current alerts.
| Unclear report | More useful report |
|---|---|
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“ICE everywhere downtown.” |
“At about 8:40 this morning, I saw three vehicles and several people with agency names on their clothing in the downtown business area.” |
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“Checkpoint, stay away.” |
“Around 7:15, vehicles were being stopped near the east business district. I could not identify the agency or the reason for the stops.” |
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“White van means ICE.” |
“I saw an unmarked white van near the shopping area. I do not have information linking it to ICE.” |
The clearer versions give a time, general area, and description. They also say what the person could not confirm.
This helps volunteers check the report and helps readers understand why it was sent. A short, clear account is more useful than an urgent warning with no details.
Volunteer Report Checks
Volunteers check reports to help catch mistakes, repeated submissions, and information unrelated to ICE. Reporting about the project has described checks using photos, saved image details, online searches, news coverage, and local rapid response networks.
What volunteers can check depends on what someone sends. An original photo with a clear account gives them more to work with than a screenshot with no date or source.
Image And Video Checks
Reviewers may look for the same image online to see whether it appeared before the reported event. They may also compare buildings, road signs, and other visible details with the stated location.
A photo file may contain a saved date and time. These details can help, but they may be missing or changed after the file is shared. They do not prove everything on their own.
Checking Other Sources
Volunteers may compare the report with separate sightings, news reports, or information from trusted local groups. Details that match across separate sources can help support a report.
Copies of the same message are still one source. Ten people reposting it does not mean ten people witnessed the event.
Confirmed ICE Reports
Read what the map means by “confirmed.” The label shows that volunteers found information supporting a report. It does not mean a government agency confirmed every detail.
Confirmed Report
For example, a second source may support that officials were present. It may still be unclear why they were there, who was involved, or when they left.
Unconfirmed Report
An unconfirmed report needs more support. It is not automatically false, and being published does not make it verified.
Check the report type and review status separately. A label describing the activity may not tell you how the information was checked.
Anonymous ICE Reports
Anonymous reporting lets people share what they saw without putting their names on a public report. It can help residents share useful information while protecting themselves, relatives, neighbors, and coworkers.
Your Words
Your words can still reveal who you are. Naming your workplace, shift, connection to someone, and exact location may identify you even if you leave your name out.
Photos And Videos
Photos and videos can reveal faces, voices, reflections, documents, or private rooms. Check these details before uploading a file.
Form And Privacy
Read the form to see what it asks for and what will be shown publicly. A report without a public name does not guarantee that the website processes no technical information.
Keep your report about the activity. You do not need to share your background or anyone else’s immigration history.
Privacy And Safe Reporting
Before You Report
Share the sighting.
Protect the person.
Reports should describe ICE activity without exposing private people.
Leave these details out of your text, photos, and videos:
- Names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
- Faces of residents, children, and bystanders.
- Home addresses and apartment numbers.
- License plates and private documents.
- Immigration status and personal case details.
- Information that identifies someone’s family or daily routine.
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Use a General Area
Use a general area rather than a private home address. If a photo could identify someone, consider whether a written description would be safer.
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Keep a Safe Distance
Do not follow vehicles, confront officials, block traffic, enter private property without permission, or put yourself in danger to finish a report. Share only what you could observe safely.
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Correct Report Errors
If you discover a mistake, use the map’s correction or contact option. Explain what needs changing instead of sending several reports with different details.
ICE Reports By State
People Over Papers accepts community reports from across the United States, including all 50 states. Some places have more reports because more people there use the map.
A busy map in California, Texas, or New York does not prove those states have more activity than every quieter area. Population, awareness of the project, and the number of people reporting can affect what appears.
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When checking a state, focus on the city or county you need. A sighting in one city is not an alert for the whole state.
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If an area looks empty, check the dates, filters, and loading status. There may be no matching reports, or nobody may have sent information from that area.
The number of reports is not the number of arrests. Several people can report one event, while another event may never reach the map.
Local Rapid Response
Local rapid response groups can help check reported ICE activity and connect people with support. Depending on the area, they may coordinate observers, share updates, or help families find legal services.
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Share Report Details
When you contact a group, say whether you saw the activity yourself or received the information from someone else. Give the time, general location, and details you know.
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Ask About Checks
Ask whether anyone has checked the report and whether the group has shared a public update. Follow its instructions about sending sensitive information privately.
Check Hotline Numbers
Check a hotline number on the group’s current website before calling or forwarding it. Numbers in old screenshots may no longer work.
A map report does not mean volunteers or lawyers have been sent to the scene. Contact the local group to learn what help it offers and when it is available.
Immigration Rights Resources
People Over Papers shares legal information, rights guides, and immigration support resources. These help with questions that a map pin cannot answer.
ILRC Red Cards
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center provides Red Cards that explain ways people can use their constitutional rights during encounters with immigration officers.
You can download and print the cards in several languages. Read one before you need it so you understand what it says. A card gives general information; a qualified legal adviser can help with your own situation.
ACLU Rights Guides
The ACLU provides immigrants’ rights guides for different encounters with law enforcement. Choose the guidance that matches your situation.
Advice about a home visit may differ from advice about a border or airport encounter. For questions about a warrant, detention, or personal case, speak with a qualified immigration lawyer or accredited legal representative.
Immigration Hotlines
Hotline directories can help you find support in your area. The project’s resource links include the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Before calling, check where the hotline works, its hours, and what it handles. One line may take sighting reports while another helps with legal referrals or family support. Being listed in a directory does not promise an immediate response.
People Over Papers shares legal information, rights guides, and immigration support resources. These help with questions that a map pin cannot answer.
Forwarded ICE Alerts
An ICE alert in a family chat may be worth checking, but first find out where it came from and when the event happened. Ask whether anyone in the chat saw it themselves.
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Be clear when sending a report. If a coworker shared a message, say that. Do not write “I saw this” unless you were there.
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Keep the original level of detail. If the message only names a city, do not add a neighborhood. If it says “this morning” without a date, find out which day it means before sharing it as current activity.
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Look for the original post, a named local group, or a witness who can explain what happened privately. Do not publish their phone number or other contact details to prove the source exists.
One alert can reach several chats through the same person. Seeing it in three groups does not make it three separate sightings. Keep the source and date with the message so others can check it.
People Over Papers History
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People Over Papers began in January 2025 with Celeste and Kat, two Latinas who connected through TikTok.
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Early Reports
Early sightings were collected through online reports and a shared spreadsheet. The project later used mapping tools, including Padlet, to show reports together by area.
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Padlet removed the earlier map in October 2025. The project continued on its own website, so the old board’s removal did not end reporting.
This is why old posts, screenshots, and bookmarks may show different addresses or designs. Instructions written for Padlet may no longer match the current map or report form.
The project still focuses on community reports of ICE activity, with volunteers checking submissions and sharing links to immigrant rights resources.
People Over Papers App
You can open the community map in your phone’s browser. You do not need a separate app to check your area or open a report someone shared.
Save a bookmark or add a home screen shortcut if you want quicker access. The shortcut opens the website. It does not turn on nearby alerts by itself.
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Other apps and websites may use the People Over Papers Ice name without being part of the project. Some offer paid subscriptions. The name alone does not prove a link.
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Before paying or sending information, check whether the project links to the service through its own channels. Read who made the app and what its privacy terms say. Paying does not guarantee better or more complete ICE reports.
ICE Map Not Loading
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Map stays blank | Let it load, refresh once, and try an updated browser. |
| No reports appear | Check the area, dates, and available filters. |
| Wrong place appears | Confirm the city and state or move the map yourself. |
| Social app link fails | Open the page in your phone’s regular browser. |
| Location access is denied | Search or move the map manually if available. |
| Old Padlet link fails | Open the current community map instead. |
| Photo will not upload | Check the file type and size allowed by the form. |
| Submission seems stuck | Wait for a success or error message before trying again. |
If roads and place names appear but reports do not, check your dates and filters. An empty report view does not always mean the map is broken.
If the whole page fails, check your connection and browser. When asking for help, share the error message and device type. Leave private report details out of the support message.
FAQs
Are Reports Real Time?
People can report activity soon after seeing it, but sending and checking a report takes time. A pin does not prove officers are still there when you open it. Check the event time.
Is Reporting Free?
The community map is free to view and use for reporting. If another app or website asks for a subscription, check who runs it before paying.
Are ICE Reports Verified?
Volunteers check reports using the details available. Read the status and supporting information on each entry. Check important claims with trusted local rapid response groups too.
Can I Report Vehicles?
Yes, but explain why you think the vehicle is linked to ICE. A van or SUV alone is not enough to identify the agency. Leave out license plates.
Why No Local Reports?
Your filters may hide entries, the map may still be loading, or nobody may have reported activity in the area. An empty map does not prove there is no activity.
Is Login Required?
You do not need an account to view the public map. Before reporting, read the form’s privacy instructions and leave out personal details.
Can Reports Be Updated?
Use the project’s correction or contact option if the time, place, or description is wrong. Explain the change without adding private information.
Can Reports Identify Detainees?
No. The map shows reported activity, not who is in custody. Do not post names or case details while looking for someone. Use an appropriate custody locator or contact a qualified legal service.
Independent information page. The map buttons open the official community map. This website does not collect sighting reports.