Elizabeth Cocina, an immigration Activist, appeared on Politics Done Right to offer advice and resources to those targeted by ICE thugs.
Immigration Advocate Exposes ICE Abuse
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Summary
Elizabeth Cocina, a longtime community advocate, joins Politics Done Right to warn that ICE’s masked raids have escalated into open-state abuse against immigrant families. She provides clear, urgent guidance on constitutional rights, the “red card,” and the 24/7 Houston Immigration Hotline so targeted communities can protect themselves and prepare their families before a crisis strikes.
- ICE raids have become more violent and lawless, with masked agents dragging people into vehicles and arresting workers and even teachers in front of children.
- Cocina emphasizes that all persons, not just citizens, have constitutional rights—upheld by Supreme Court rulings, such as Plyler v. Doe, that guarantee due process and equal protection.
- The “red card” outlines rights, such as the ability to remain silent, refuse to open the door without a judge-signed warrant, and decline to sign documents without the presence of legal counsel.
- The Houston Immigration Hotline (1-833-468-4664) provides confidential, multilingual information and legal referrals at no charge.
- Cocina stresses that families—especially those with children—must create safety plans now and remain calm during encounters, given escalating violence and arbitrary detentions.
The interview reveals a government apparatus behaving as an unaccountable paramilitary force, treating civil immigration violations as criminal acts and tearing families apart. Cocina’s message underscores a profound truth: communities must organize, know their rights, and resist state cruelty through collective action, solidarity, and an unwavering commitment to human dignity.
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In a nation built on constitutional promise, the treatment of immigrant communities has become a mirror exposing how far government power can drift from justice. In her appearance on Politics Done Right, longtime community advocate Elizabeth Cocina offers a stark and necessary warning: the conduct of ICE agents—masked, unidentifiable, and increasingly violent—has moved far beyond the bounds of lawful enforcement. Cocina’s testimony makes one truth undeniable: ordinary people must now defend themselves against a system that treats civil immigration violations as grounds for state-sponsored terror.
Masked Raids, Public Humiliation, and Unrestricted Force
Cocina begins by describing the brutality unfolding in immigrant neighborhoods across the country—raids in Chicago, Houston, and beyond where agents drag people into vehicles, shove them to the ground, and behave like paramilitary squads operating outside scrutiny. The arrest of a teacher on her way to school, in full view of her students, reveals the degree to which intimidation has become a deliberate political tool—no due process. No dignity. Just force.
These acts, she argues, are not random excesses. They are part of a strategy: overwhelm communities with fear, create chaos, and reduce public resistance. In this atmosphere, lawbreaking by the state becomes invisible.
A Community Defender Filling the Gap the Government Created
A retired high school administrator, Cocina never planned to become an immigration broadcaster. However, as public confusion and fear intensified, she recognized the need for an accessible and reliable source of information. Her weekly Friday program on KPFT 90.1 FM now serves as a lifeline. Instead of fearmongering or partisan rhetoric, she offers resources that protect families.
At the center of her message is the Houston Immigration Hotline, a 24/7 multilingual service that provides confidential assistance:
📞 1-833-468-4664
This number becomes a shield: a bridge to legal advice, emergency support, and guidance on developing family safety plans.
The Red Card: A Pocket-Sized Act of Resistance
Cocina’s work also resurrects an old-but-essential tool: the Know Your Rights “red card.” Small enough to fit in a wallet but powerful enough to save lives, the card lists constitutional protections that too many people—citizens and noncitizens alike—do not know they possess.
And she stresses a crucial point:
Rights belong to persons—not just citizens.
Supreme Court cases such as Plyler v. Doe and Zadvydas v. Davis affirm that the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses protect undocumented individuals. No agent, politician, or administration can erase that.
The red card lists rights such as:
- The right to remain silent.
- The right not to open the door without a signed judicial warrant.
- The right not to sign anything without speaking to a lawyer.
- The right to assert Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
In communities targeted by ICE, this simple card becomes an act of empowerment. It slows down encounters. It signals knowledge. It forces agents—some of whom hide behind masks—to confront the fact that their authority has limits.
The Emotional and Human Toll
The interview reveals the cost of these raids not just on adults, but on entire families. Cocina describes her daughter’s traumatic experience witnessing women sobbing beside their partners’ empty trucks outside a Home Depot in southeast Houston. These moments, she explains, shatter the illusion that abuse “only happens on TV.” When violence enters daily life, fear becomes generational.
Family separation—once the shame of the Trump administration—has returned. Some children taken years ago remain unreunited with their parents, a wound that cannot be overstated. Cocina urges every family to develop a plan now, especially those with children, because preparation can prevent additional trauma during a sudden arrest.
A Movement Rising to Challenge State Cruelty
Despite the brutality, moral Americans will not surrender to despair. Many community organizers see signs that the public is rising. Election results in Georgia, Mississippi, and other states demonstrate that voters are rejecting authoritarianism and embracing candidates who stand for human dignity. Civic engagement is not only possible—it is growing.
Collective action is breaking the fever. Peaceful protests, mutual aid networks, and accurate information are shifting the political landscape. The cruelty will intensify before it ultimately collapses, but it will collapse nonetheless.
A Progressive Truth: Rights Are Defended by Communities, Not Institutions
The heart of Cocina’s message is a progressive affirmation of humanity over state violence. Governments may fail, agencies may exceed their authority, and political leaders may weaponize immigrant fear for electoral advantage. But communities—armed with knowledge, solidarity, and moral clarity—can shield one another.
As she reminds listeners, immigration law is complex, but the principles of justice are not. People deserve dignity. Families deserve stability. Children deserve protection. And every person on American soil is entitled to constitutional rights that no agent’s mask can hide.
Her work, and the work of independent media uplifting voices like hers, functions as a bulwark against a system collapsing under its own cruelty. It is an insistence that the country can choose humanity—if people stand together and demand it.
Elizabeth Cocina, aka Lisi, spent twenty years in education, serving as a teacher and administrator in Houston ISD. After retiring in 2023, she began to volunteer at KPFT, and since late March has produced the “Alerta de Inmigrantes/Immigrant Alert Show.” Before working in the schools, she worked at Houston non-profit organizations.
The goal of the show, which airs on Fridays at 9:30 am, is to share resources and information with immigrants and advocates. Guests have included experts on immigration policy, attorneys, activists, artists, and religious leaders. The show is conducted in Spanish and English, and it welcomes callers.