How to Create a Pod

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What Is a Pod?

A pod is a small, local, trusted unit of people who can coordinate and respond to ICE, law enforcement, or other emergent activity. Pods may:

• Have varying levels of trust
• Have varying vetting processes
• Have varying risk tolerances and action preferences
• Track local patterns or threats
• Share info and escalate to dispatch
• Mobilize field support
• Build relationships of safety and care

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Why Pods Matter

• They make response possible in areas that national or regional teams can’t cover
• They strengthen mutual aid and trust at the block/neighborhood level
• They keep field ops decentralized and harder to disrupt

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Who Can Create a Pod?

Anyone who is:

• In a location with or without existing ICE Tea coverage
• Committed to abolitionist, decentralized, and consent-based principles
• Willing to complete training and act with care

Pod Creators are fast-tracked through the Verified Dispatcher process — not by skipping steps, but by getting priority support, reviews, and trust-building guidance.

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How to Start a Pod

Step 1: Assess Your Area

• Are there known ICE or police operations nearby?
• Are there local orgs already doing this work? (Reach out!)
• Is there a community base or network to build from?

Step 2: Find 1–2 Trusted People

Start with people who:

• Understand the risks
• Have time or capacity to respond
• Are rooted in the community (language, culture, geography)

Step 3: Set Up Signal

1. Create a Signal group
2. Use disappearing messages (recommended: 6–12 hours)
3. Enable group admin settings
4. Share group QR only in trusted spaces
5. Never name the group “ICE” or anything attention-grabbing

Step 4: Set Boundaries and Roles

• Who is on call when?
• What kind of alerts are urgent?
• What tools will you use (Signal, Proton, maps, etc)?
• Who is backup?

Document your agreements briefly — you’ll need to share this in the next step.

Step 5: Join a General Pod (Optional)

Once you’ve scoped your area and started a Signal group, you can connect with a broader regional pod. These pods are not command centers — they just help route people to local pods or support formation of new ones.

• Find your region in the ICE Tea General Pod Directory
• Reach out and say where you're organizing
• Ask if there are nearby pods to connect with — or start one yourself

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Weaving Into the Network

You don’t need to register anything. ICE Tea isn’t building a directory — we’re building relationships.

Once your pod exists, it’s helpful if someone “knows a guy who knows a guy.” Here's how to gently link into the broader network:

• Reach out to ICE Tea members or organizers you trust
• Let them know your pod is active in a specific region
• Ask about shared protocols, dispatch signals, or support tools
• Keep it informal — trust moves at the speed of relationship

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Operational Tips

• Use Proton Mail or Riseup for emails
• Encrypt shared docs (e.g., Padlock, CryptPad)
• Assign a “data cleaner” to regularly delete expired reports
• Never forward screenshots or logs — summarize instead

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You're Building Infrastructure

Pods are the future of decentralized response. You are laying the foundation for:

• Safety where no one else is watching
• Care beyond borders and agencies
• A movement that defends itself

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What’s Next?

• Complete this module
• Register your pod (optional, but recommended)
• Continue your Dispatcher Certification track
• Reach out to ICE Tea organizers for Signal onboarding and trust-building

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