“We’re living in a fascist situation,” said career immigration attorney Mo Goldman, capturing the growing anxiety that has swept Tucson about extreme immigration enforcement.
In an extraordinary, candid community presentation by the Democrats of Greater Tucson, Goldman described the reality faced not only by immigrants but by entire neighborhoods gripped by uncertainty, surveillance, and escalating federal force.
“ICE has now become the criminals in a sense, in that we are now, the people are living in fear of [them],” Goldman said, drawing knowing nods from an audience that included business owners, activists, and concerned citizens.
For Goldman, who has practiced immigration law for 25 years, the shift in enforcement strategy under Trump is unprecedented. He described how the expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has left immigrants, businesses, and even citizens facing rising uncertainty and fear.
Click here to get Mo Goldman’s slides presented at the Democrats of Greater Tucson in-person program, “of Mo Goldman’s presentation, Your Legal Rights When ICE Comes Knocking.
A New Era of Raids
Goldman pointed to Trump’s plans to spend more than $65 billion on border and immigration enforcement, including hiring 10,000 new ICE agents and filling 100,000 additional detention beds. “This is all about how many people they can scoop up and put in detention,” he said.
The return of aggressive workplace raids has rattled local business owners. Goldman cited a recent incident at the La Indita restaurant in Tucson, where ICE agents demanded employment records. Such actions, he explained, can lead to ruinous fines, sometimes running into six figures, leaving small businesses with little chance of survival.
The fines, he noted, can be devastating, citing a recent case involving nearly $90,000 in penalties imposed on a small business.
He added, “I think we’re going to see a lot of restaurants get targeted by this if things continue to progress the way they are.”
Restaurants, hospitality, and construction companies are particularly vulnerable, Goldman said. “Anything labor-intensive is going to be targeted,” he explained. Employers who suspect ICE might visit their workplace should distinguish public from private areas and know the limits of ICE authority. “They cannot enter kitchens or offices without a judicial warrant signed by a judge,” Goldman stressed.
Masked Agents and Vigilantes
Perhaps most troubling, Goldman said, is the increasing use of masked ICE agents who fail to identify themselves. Without badges or visible credentials, agents are indistinguishable from vigilantes—such as dangerous Proud Boys—posing as law enforcement.
This anonymity, Goldman asserted, is symptomatic of “fascism, when you have law enforcement that is not allowing itself to be detected. It is frightening.”
“The reality is that ICE has now become the criminals, in a sense,” Goldman said. “People are living in fear of the Gestapo of them.”
This erosion of trust, he added, doesn’t just endanger immigrants. It also creates opportunities for criminals to exploit fear by impersonating officers. “Imagine being surrounded by five masked people. Most people are scared into submission,” Goldman said. “It’s completely insane.”
Rights Under Siege
Despite the heightened enforcement, Goldman emphasized that everyone—citizen or immigrant—retains constitutional protections. ICE agents cannot legally enter private property without a judicial warrant, and individuals are not required to answer questions or present identification beyond their name.
Recording videos of encounters with ICE, Goldman said, is both legal and essential. Arizona law allows citizens to record from a safe distance of at least eight feet. “I highly recommend video recording everything,” he said. “That’s the great equalizer these days, especially when we’re worried about abuses by law enforcement.”
Goldman urged immigrants never to falsely claim U.S. citizenship—a mistake that carries permanent consequences under immigration law. Instead, those with legal status should carry proof such as green cards or work permits, while undocumented residents should avoid signing incriminating documents presented by ICE without legal advice.
A Bad Situation Ahead
Looking ahead, Goldman fears a tightening noose. Trump has floated proposals for neighborhood checks on citizenship applicants, denaturalization cases, and broader expedited removals. “It’s a bad situation we’re going into,” he cautioned.
Goldman hammered home practical advice for both individuals and businesses, warning that ICE can enter any area of a business deemed “public” without a judicial warrant, but private areas are protected.
“To go into a private area, they need a judicial warrant that a judge has signed, and it has to say what court it’s coming from. They cannot go into a private area of a business or a home with just a DHS warrant.” He displayed examples of both types of warrants, teaching community members to recognize a valid judicial order.
If ICE or law enforcement appears at a private residence, “they are supposed to identify themselves and they must have a judicial warrant to be able to enter the premises, and the judicial warrant must state the purpose and who they are coming to question or what their reason is.”
Goldman cautioned against opening the door at all, even if agents claim authority, noting that even opening just one door (for example, with a security screen still locked) preserves the resident’s rights.
Rapid Response Network
In Tucson, grassroots groups are pushing back. The Tucson Rapid Response Network, founded in 2017, trains volunteers as community observers to monitor ICE encounters. When someone calls in a raid or detention, the network sends encrypted alerts to mobilize witnesses who can document what happens.
“Most of us here are citizens, and we’re not going to have an issue with ICE coming to detain us,” one organizer explained. “But it’s something we can do for the community around us.”
Observers are trained not only to record events but also to help detained individuals connect with lawyers or family. The group also provides support for families left behind when a loved one is taken into custody.
Shifting Public Sentiment
Goldman repeatedly returned to the fear that heavy-handed immigration enforcement inspires, warning of its effects on the broader public. “We have a virus that’s gone around this country of people who think that they’re immune to abuses, and they’re going to find out soon that they’re not and that their businesses aren’t.”
“The more it starts to occur to people who thought it wouldn’t impact them, the more it’s going to change sentiment,” Goldman said.
Knowledge Is Power
Until then, Goldman sees education as the most powerful defense. He urged attendees to share his presentation widely, reminding them that constitutional rights apply to everyone, regardless of immigration status.
“We all have these rights no matter whether we’re U.S. citizens, green card holders, or here without documents,” he said. “Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your rights.”
For Goldman, the stakes are nothing less than the future of democracy. As he concluded, his message was sobering: “We’re living in a fascist situation. ICE has become the criminals. And it’s a bad situation we’re going into.”
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