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Ohioans Said: Put People First
Ohio voters spoke clearly in the 2026 elections: we want leaders who put our wellbeing ahead of billionaires’ bank accounts, and policies that benefit people, not corporations. We want our tax dollars to help human beings, not to kill people in other countries or incarcerate and deport our neighbors and loved ones. We want a government that works for us, not against us — including police and federal agencies.
Narrative Case Study
“Changing the narrative” isn’t about having the best talking points. It’s not achieved through rapid-response communications alone. It’s about harnessing what people are already talking or thinking about, and feeding it with the message you want to dominate. Adding to the story. Fine-tuning it. Expanding voices. Gathering steam. And then, like a wave, the conversation builds to a breaking point and you have changed conventional wisdom to your message, with an organic echo chamber.
Read this Ohio Immigrant Alliance case study to learn how OIA contributed to a narrative shift on immigration, from “immigrants are dangerous” to “ICE is dangerous and we need a humane set of immigration policies” in 2025 and 2026.
Fact-Checking Sheriff Jones on Immigration, Again
The Ohio Immigrant Alliance is here to correct the record, once again, about Sheriff Jones’ immigration lies. We are asking all media outlets to verify his claims before reporting them as fact.
In several interviews in September, Sheriff Jones said his jail deported 6-7,000 people for ICE. This is a blatant lie. Since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, a total of 3,634 people have been removed from the U.S. after spending time in the Butler County Jail — a far cry from the six to seven thousand Jones claims.
Ohio Immigrant Alliance at 934Fest: Art/Activism, Community/Collaborators
Last weekend, OIA tabled at Columbus's 934Fest, an annual community arts and mural festival hosted by 934Gallery. Between sponsoring "The Torchbearers," a new mural by local artist Luka Weinberger, and a day full of live music and spoken word, it was a powerful reminder of what art and organizing look like when they show up for each other.
Bill Franz, Dayton Society of Artists Presents “And I Quote”: Art, Immigration, and Support for Detained Immigrants
Dayton artist Bill Franz's exhibition "and I quote" explores immigration through ten quotations, including the Fifth Amendment. Visit the October 1st opening reception to support local art and OIA's commissary fund for detained immigrants!
Rest in Power, Rest in Peace: Remembering Pierre Damas Bel
Yesterday, a young man from Springfield died by suicide. According to his Instagram account and family, Pierre Damas Bel was devastated by the ankle shackle the Trump administration forced him to wear after taking his legal status from him.
He experienced bullying over it during his first week at Wright State University. Pierre was an honors student who graduated from Springfield High School in 2026 and a member of J-ROTC. He planned to go to medical school.
Unshackle Springfield
By Demba Ndiath: I spent four days in Springfield, Ohio, standing with members of the Haitian community during a period of extraordinary fear and uncertainty. I traveled as the Advocacy Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance to listen, assist, interpret, and show solidarity. I am not licensed to practice law, and my role was not to provide legal representation. Alongside other volunteers, I helped migrants complete their own requests asking immigration authorities to remove their ankle monitors or modify the conditions of their release.
Three Branches of the Same Poisonous Family Tree: Origins of Police, Border Patrol, and ICE
In this post, Ohio Immigrant Alliance breaks down how police, Border Patrol, and ICE are really three branches of the same poisonous family tree.
The article quotes Cynthia Brown from the Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity and various Ohio Immigrant Alliance publications on the immigration agencies’ histories, the agents they hire, public safety and Flock cameras, as well as solutions.
Finding Hope and Power in Minneapolis: Reflections from The Brave of Us Summit
From OIA’s Demba Ndiath:
In June, I had the opportunity to travel from Ohio to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to attend The Brave of Us: Midwest Democracy & Power Summit, organized by the Immigrant Defense Network. The gathering brought together advocates, organizers, community leaders, volunteers, and allies from across the Midwest who share a common commitment to defending democracy, protecting immigrant rights, and building collective power.
Worst of the Worst: 152 Sexually and Physically Abusive ICE and Border Agents
Video recording, final report, data, and other content from the release of OIA’s new report, “The Worst of the Worst: 152 Sexually and Physically Abusive ICE and Border Agents; Implications for U.S. Communities and Actions Needed from Congress.”
Over 150 ICE and Border Patrol Agents Committed Sexual or Violent Crimes Against Women and Children
Last month the nation learned, in horror, about the many reasons ICE should not have hired David Brouillette — the agent who killed Johan Sebastián while he was driving. At the same time, the Ohio Immigrant Alliance published a report about 59 other ICE and Border Patrol agents with violent and/or sexually abusive criminal histories. As soon as we hit post in late July, the report became obsolete.
On August 18, at 11am ET, OIA will release a major update, with nearly 100 new names, alarming offenses, and a panel of experts to discuss what Congress must do to protect the public from the “worst of the worst” — criminal agents with guns and badges.
Saxon is Out! (at ICE)
Said Lynn Tramonte, Executive Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, “Today, I am happy to say, Samuel Saxon no longer supervises people with authority over immigrants. According to Fox19, Samuel Saxon is no longer an employee of ICE. The government did not say whether Saxon resigned, retired, or was terminated. The answer matters, but what matters more is that he is gone.”
Want to Live in a Safety Community? Build Trust, Not Surveillance Systems
The Columbus City Council’s Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee held a hearing on the city’s use of Flock cameras on August 10. Sixty members of the public signed up to speak.
The Ohio Immigrant Alliance submitted this testimony, written by Executive Director Lynn Tramonte. Read it here.
“I wrote every day” — Shema Asifwe in the Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer published a beautiful story (with photos) about Shema Asifiwe, the high school artist behind the new “Ohio Is My Second Country” coloring book from the Ohio Immigrant Alliance.
The article captures Shema and some of his high school friends, returning to Roselawn Condon elementary school to spend time with the students there.
Free Review Copies of OIA Books Now Available
Now, journalists, book reviewers, librarians, educators, and camp, scout, or other group leaders may request free review copies of Ohio Is My Second Country and From Welcome To Deportation via these media kits.
CAN’T MISS: “Ohio Is My Second Country” Concert & Book Launch
Salif Sarr is a Mauritanian-Ohioan pop star. Shema Asifiwe is the Cincinnati-based artist (and high school student) behind the Ohio Immigrant Alliance’s new coloring book. Demba Ndiath is about to publish his book about West African migration to Ohio.
They are all part of “Ohio Is My Second Country,” the Ohio Immigrant Alliance’s fourth presentation at the Columbus Arts Festival on June 13.
The Rebel Loon Comes to Ohio: Stickers, Solidarity, and the #BraveOfUs Tattoo Contest
Minnesota's Rebel Loon became a symbol of immigrant resistance that spread across the country. Now Columbus artist Luka Weinberger has created Ohio's version, the Rebel Cardinal, and OIA is selling the stickers at the Columbus Arts Festival on June 13th. Plus: the #BraveOfUs Tattoo Design Contest is open for submissions through June 30th.
See you at the library
Hey, this is Lynn Tramonte, Executive Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance. I'll be speaking at the Coventry Village Library tomorrow night (Thursday, May 21), as part of their author series with Mac's Backs Books. You might not know this, but I co-authored a book with Suma Setty of the Center for Law and Social Policy, based on interviews my colleague Maryam Sy conducted with 255 people who were deported.
They are mostly Black Muslim men, deported from Ohio to West Africa after living here for decades. I know many of them personally. These are conversations most people have never had, and insights that are not often heard in the media.
The Wisdom and Experience of Ohio Immigrant Leaders
People who were deported are often discarded in the immigration policy debate. OIA’s #ReuniteUS advocacy program exists to change that.
In this post, Mustapha Komeh and Selly and Amadou Dia show was Ohio’s immigrant (and second-generation) leaders can do when they use their voices.
The goals of #ReuniteUS might not be possible soon. But we insist on changing U.S. immigration laws and policies to actually address human needs, social ties, family relationships, community benefits, and humanitarian protection, however long it takes.
Preview: From Welcome, To Deportation
From Welcome To Deportation is the forthcoming book from Demba Ndiath, Ohio Immigrant Alliance’s Advocacy Director, about West African migration along the “bottom route” to the United States.
It does more than diagnose problems and document pain. It advances solutions; improvements to today’s immigration system like guaranteed legal representation for people with cases in civil immigration court; a truly independent immigration judiciary, rather than one fully controlled by the Executive Branch; and an end to immigration jail.