Ep. 130 - Chinga La Migra: Organizing under a MAGA Regime ft. Rey Wences & Any Huamani

BrownTown continues the "Chinga La Migra" series discussing how ICE ain't shit with Rey Wences of Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and Any Huamani of Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC). Fast-forwarding from the last conversation in summer 2025 focusing on the criminal-legal battles against ICE, the team reflects on the experiences, strategies, and lessons learned from resisting and building power during Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago in fall 2025. Now that the consistent bombardment of ICE violently kidnapping our neighbors is not as ever-present nor making national headlines, how do hyperlocal and regional resistance cadres of everyday people, community-based organizations, and larger policy networks channel energy and, in some cases, new found awakening into sustainable material change? How do we balance responding to the moment effectively while unapologetically exposing the conditions that got us here in the first place? Here's their take. Originally recorded April 17, 2026.   GUESTS Rey Wences is a longtime community organizer and advocate with over a decade of experience championing immigrant justice. Born in Mexico City and raised in Chicago, Rey co-founded the Immigrant Youth Justice League and later Organized Communities Against Deportations, leading impactful campaigns such as erasing the Chicago and Cook County gang databases. Their work spans grassroots organizing, direct action, and communications at the local and national levels. Before serving as Chicago's First Deputy of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights, Rey was Director of Communications at Organizing Power in Numbers, a national economic justice organization. Rey currently works at Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Follow ICIRR on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Any Huamani is an organizer in the Southwest Side. Her and her family migrated to Chicago’s North Wide from Peru when she was 5. Any grew up in the West Side of Chicago where she saw the disinvestment and an interest grew in her to find out why. Since then, Any volunteered in different non profits and became an organizer the Chicago Hotel Strike in 2018. She is now the Immigration Defense Coordinator at Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC). She also co-leads Treatment Not Trauma, a city wide mental health campaign calling for the reopening of public mental health centers and a citywide nonpolice crisis response. In her free time, she spends time with her two boys and running. Follow BPNC on Facebook, Instagram, and X.   Mentioned in the episode: Ep. 121 - Chinga La Migra: Understanding Your Rights under a MAGA Regime ft. Khiabett Osuna ICE Mass Arrests Spark Chaos In South Loop (Block Club Chi) ICIRR Support #: 855.435.7693 Organized Communities Against Deportation (OCAD) Southwest Rapid Response Linktree Donate! What's App Channel Canvass Welcoming City Ordinance (ordinance & explainer, 2025 hearings, 2025 vote) Alderhomie Rossana Rodriguez debates Alderfuck Raymond Lopez on WTTW Border Patrol agents shoot armed woman in Chicago as protesters confront immigration personnel Dr. Phil & ICE (1, 2, 3) The CHAAD Project How ICE grew to be the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency (NPR) “Deportation-Industrial Complex” (Brennan Center) Pilsen Neighborhood Watch Coalition Midwest Immigration Bond Fund National immigration Justice Center -- CREDITS: Intro song Chinga La Migra by Zada. Outro music Fuck These Fuckin' Fascists by The Muslims. Audio recorded and engineered by Kassandra Borah. Episode photo by Karina Mireya. -- Bourbon ’n BrownTownFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Linktree SoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Linktree | Support