Every day, many of us run into roadblocks when pushing for real change in our communities. Maybe you’ve spoken up to policymakers only to feel dismissed or overlooked. Perhaps you’ve tried to navigate the immigration system as an LGBTQ individual and found the process confusing, intimidating, or stacked against you. You might have fought to defend human rights, only to meet resistance, slow progress, or unexpected setbacks. And if you’ve poured your energy into activism, you may know firsthand how burnout, isolation, and emotional fatigue can creep in when the work feels heavy.

These experiences can leave us frustrated, discouraged, and disconnected from the impact we’re trying so hard to make. They remind us that even the strongest advocates need support, clarity, and community to keep moving forward.

Based on recent reports, the Trump administration is actively empowering police and immigration authorities through the widespread deployment of AI technology, a strategy that has raised significant civil liberties concerns.

Key Aspects of AI Empowered Policing:

• ICE and local law enforcement are utilizing AI-powered surveillance, including facial recognition technologies and massive data mining, to identify, track, and target individuals, particularly for immigration enforcement.
• Law enforcement agencies are adopting AI software that transcribes body camera audio to generate police reports in minutes, raising concerns regarding accuracy, potential bias, and the loss of human oversight.
• The administration’s strategy includes leveraging AI for “predictive policing” to analyze data and predict criminal activity before it occurs, a technique critics say can lead to profiling and erroneous targeting.
• President Trump has issued executive orders aimed at accelerating AI adoption, which critics argue roll back necessary protections against bias, discrimination, and privacy violations.

Concerns and Perceived Dangers:

• AI tools are known to have higher error rates for certain demographics, threatening to disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
• The lack of regulation and transparency risks creating a “surveillance state,” where individuals are monitored without sufficient legal oversight.
• Critics argue that AI-generated reports are “too new, too untested, and too unreliable” to be trusted.
• The aggregation of vast amounts of data poses a high risk of data misuse and unauthorized access.

The rapid, largely unregulated adoption of AI in policing has prompted widespread concern from civil rights organizations regarding the potential for severe, long-term harm to privacy and due process.

How to Encourage Action

• Promote “Right Tree, Right Place”: Encourage planting native species suited to the local climate and soil to ensure survival.
• Highlight Local Impact: Emphasize that trees make neighborhoods more beautiful, increase property values, and improve air quality.
• Organize Community Events: Host tree giveaways, planting workshops, or “adopt-a-tree” programs to care for new saplings.
• Engage Youth & Volunteers: Connect with local schools or volunteer groups to foster a sense of stewardship, inspired by movements like TreePeople.
• Support Large Campaigns: Encourage participation in global initiatives like #teamtrees or local National Forest Foundation projects. 

Starting small with a single sapling in a backyard can lead to significant long-term benefits for the planet and future generations.

Occupy Freedom South San Francisco was founded in 2018 by a group of passionate changemakers driven by personal experiences and a shared vision for justice.

Our story began with the journey of an LGBTQ immigrant who faced first-hand the challenges of the immigration system and ICE.

Inspired to make a difference, we came together to advocate for governmental change and broader human rights, building a diverse community that pushes for real progress in California and beyond.