WASHINGTON — A former high aide to New York Lawyer Normal Letitia James runs a liberal nonprofit that’s serving to fund anti-ICE trainings, a few of which have urged demonstrators to disrupt federal immigration enforcement — and use encrypted channels to keep away from sharing “incriminating” data.
Anna Brower, James’ chief of employees till this previous September, serves as president of the Hopewell Fund, one among a number of members of a so-called “darkish cash” community of left-wing philanthropies administered till 2024 by Arabella Advisors.
Hopewell doled out greater than $91 million in grants that 12 months for causes associated to civil rights, social motion and advocacy, per its newest tax filings, and serves because the fiscal sponsor of a corporation referred to as States on the Core.
Greater than 12,000 folks have been skilled by States on the Core’s ICE Watch seminars since President Trump’s second inauguration, in accordance with the nonprofit, although it’s unclear how a lot funding Hopewell has been serving to it handle because it was based in November 2024, the New York Instances reported.
“Upholding human dignity and security is central to our mission, and we actively discourage people from disrupting or interfering with legislation enforcement exercise,” Brower instructed The Publish in a press release.
Conservative watchdog organizations have disputed this, with People for Public Belief (APT) govt director Caitlin Sutherland saying the seminars “intentionally” instructed protesters to impede enofrcement operations— in obvious violation of federal legislation.
“The IRS has made clear that nonprofits can not fund unlawful acts, and that particularly contains intentionally blocking visitors and disrupting authorities work,” Sutherland stated.
States on the Core has urged protesters to kind native fast response teams that swiftly report — however have been seen at instances to hamper — federal immigration arrests, which frequently characterised as “kidnappings” or “abductions,” coaching supplies reviewed by The Publish present.
A slide deck from one October coaching instructed individuals to get as a lot “identifiable data” as attainable from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brokers, together with “what number of current, names, badge numbers, weapons they’re carrying or utilizing, car descriptions, license plates.”
The presentation was co-hosted by States on the Core and Defend Rogers Park, a Chicago-based group based throughout the first Trump administration to “resist” immigration enforcement.
One among Defend RP’s leaders, Jill Garvey, serves as co-director of States on the Core.
Different slides did warning ICE Watchers to not “intrude in any manner.”
“If legislation enforcement continues to let you know to get again, proceed to take one step again whereas repeating this,” one said. “You’ve gotten the precise to look at so long as you aren’t interfering with legislation enforcement exercise. Flip your digicam to the bottom to doc your self shifting again.”
However these directions have been contradicted by different trainings and the actions of members of ICE Watch teams in cities like Minneapolis — which turned floor zero for the conflict between Trump’s mass deportations agenda and left-wing agitators in latest months.
A June 2025 coaching handout from Defend RP stated one of many main targets ought to be to “gradual” immigration officers down by “getting in the best way with just a few our bodies” and forming a “blockade” towards the feds when 5 or extra ICE Watchers are current.
That also needs to contain blowing whistles, “surrounding the sufferer” and “surrounding the car,” slides famous.
“Each American has the precise to peacefully protest,” Sutherland famous when requested in regards to the coaching, “nevertheless it doesn’t embody the precise to forestall authorities officers from doing their jobs.”
Non-public discussion groups on the Sign messaging app additionally assist facilitate what the ICE Watch teams have known as the exercising of their “authorized proper to look at,” whereas warning group individuals to not “incriminate your self or others” within the course of.
“We aren’t legal professionals,” an extra slide deck cautioned. “We depend on the collective information of our group to supply steering in coaching for ICE Watch.”
Sutherland and different conservatives have focused Hopewell and NEO Philanthropy — which acquired a $185,000 grant for program assist associated to States on the Core in 2024 — for propping up left-wing demonstrations within the US, with a latest congressional listening to specializing in how even some international funding has been aiding home nonprofits.
Final week, APT disclosed throughout a Home Methods and Means listening to targeted on international funding of US nonprofits that Hopewell took $2.8 million from the Switzerland-based Oak Basis, Fox Information reported.
That comes after the Trump Justice Division set its sights final 12 months on felony probes of lefty entities like George Soros’ Open Society Foundations.
One of many foundations backed by the liberal billionaire has contributed hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to Hopewell previously.
Two members of ICE Watch teams — Renee Good and Alex Pretti, each 37 — had been fatally shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis final month.
In each incidents, the officers had given the anti-ICE demonstrators instructions that weren’t adopted.
Good was requested to exit her car earlier than accelerating it within the path of an ICE officer who opened fireplace on her.
A Border Patrol agent shot and killed Pretti, who was carrying a loaded Sig Sauer pistol, throughout “a wrestle” after the ICU nurse “resisted” officers and ignored “a number of verbal requests” to maneuver out of a road throughout an enforcement operation, a preliminary Division of Homeland Safety evaluation discovered.
Rhetoric from Trump administration officers additional infected the scenario within the days following the shootings, with Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem claiming Good and Pretti’s actions constituted “home terrorism.”
Democratic officers like Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey rejected that ICE brokers had been lawfully arresting and eradicating felony unlawful aliens.
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan was later dispatched to quell unrest and meet with native and state officers earlier than authorizing the withdrawal of tons of of brokers from the Twin Cities final week.
James is one among a number of distinguished Democratic officers criticizing ICE ways in her jurisdiction. Earlier this month, her workplace launched its personal Authorized Remark Undertaking to watch federal immigration enforcement actions in New York.
“We now have seen in Minnesota how rapidly and tragically federal operations can escalate within the absence of transparency and accountability,” James stated. “My workplace is launching the Authorized Remark Undertaking to look at federal enforcement exercise in New York and whether or not it stays throughout the bounds of the legislation.”
Reps for States on the Core didn’t reply to requests for remark.
