North Carolina businesses are preparing for the worst as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents increasingly descend upon the state. To counter this, a local immigrant rights group called Siembra has launched an initiative to teach business owners their fourth amendment rights, which prohibit unreasonable government searches and seizures.
The signs on store and restaurant windows reading "private area", "fourth amendment workplace" and "There's always room at our table, but to enter past this point, we'll need to see a warrant signed by a judge" are part of this effort. The group has created a workbook outlining its strategy, printable posters, workplace trainings, a pledge for business owners and a team of volunteers who canvass and persuade businesses to sign on.
Over 250 businesses across the state have signed up so far. Angela Salamanca, an immigrant from Colombia who owns several restaurants in Raleigh and Durham, has been working with Siembra for years and says the initiative is a game-changer. She immediately signed up after hearing about it and had already strategized on how to protect her undocumented employees.
Siembra's strategy is not limited to Latinx-owned businesses or those that employ undocumented people. The group is courting everyone, including white business owners like Steve Mitchell, co-owner of the well-known Scuppernong Books in Greensboro. Mitchell signed up despite having no personal reason to be concerned about ICE raids.
The group also aims to expand its efforts to neighboring towns and city governments in North Carolina, where Durham and Carrboro have already signed on. City councils in Chapel Hill and Greensboro are also pushing forward initiatives to train municipal employees and spread the word about the fourth amendment push.
Other groups around the country, such as the Oregon-based Baddies for the Fourth and the city government of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are implementing similar fourth amendment strategies. However, Siembra's initiative is unique in its focus on North Carolina specifically.
The results so far have been eye-opening for some business owners. Renee' Reynolds, owner of a picture frame shop in Graham, had no idea about her fourth amendment rights before Siembra approached her with training and materials. She now sends a message to customers and passersby by displaying the signs on her windows.
As ICE raids become more frequent, it's clear that business owners need to know their constitutional rights. The door is always open for local businesses to join Siembra's initiative, which aims to empower them with knowledge and confidence to push back against federal overreach.
The signs on store and restaurant windows reading "private area", "fourth amendment workplace" and "There's always room at our table, but to enter past this point, we'll need to see a warrant signed by a judge" are part of this effort. The group has created a workbook outlining its strategy, printable posters, workplace trainings, a pledge for business owners and a team of volunteers who canvass and persuade businesses to sign on.
Over 250 businesses across the state have signed up so far. Angela Salamanca, an immigrant from Colombia who owns several restaurants in Raleigh and Durham, has been working with Siembra for years and says the initiative is a game-changer. She immediately signed up after hearing about it and had already strategized on how to protect her undocumented employees.
Siembra's strategy is not limited to Latinx-owned businesses or those that employ undocumented people. The group is courting everyone, including white business owners like Steve Mitchell, co-owner of the well-known Scuppernong Books in Greensboro. Mitchell signed up despite having no personal reason to be concerned about ICE raids.
The group also aims to expand its efforts to neighboring towns and city governments in North Carolina, where Durham and Carrboro have already signed on. City councils in Chapel Hill and Greensboro are also pushing forward initiatives to train municipal employees and spread the word about the fourth amendment push.
Other groups around the country, such as the Oregon-based Baddies for the Fourth and the city government of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are implementing similar fourth amendment strategies. However, Siembra's initiative is unique in its focus on North Carolina specifically.
The results so far have been eye-opening for some business owners. Renee' Reynolds, owner of a picture frame shop in Graham, had no idea about her fourth amendment rights before Siembra approached her with training and materials. She now sends a message to customers and passersby by displaying the signs on her windows.
As ICE raids become more frequent, it's clear that business owners need to know their constitutional rights. The door is always open for local businesses to join Siembra's initiative, which aims to empower them with knowledge and confidence to push back against federal overreach.
to me... like they're pushing a specific agenda on business owners just so they can start tracking who's in the country? i mean, what if it's not about "protection" at all, but more like a way to keep tabs on people without warrants? and how convenient that siembra is getting so many businesses to sign up on board... like, they're basically creating a database of private info. what's next? 
. I mean, having ICE agents around all the time can be super stressful for business owners, especially those who have employees who might not have papers or something. But at the same time, I get why they want to know their rights and protect themselves, you know? It's like, if someone comes into your store and tries to search everything without a warrant, that would be totally wrong 
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, but you'd think business owners would be all about shielding themselves from that 
. I mean, some of these guys are like "screw ICE" but then they get trained on their 4th amendment rights and suddenly they're like "hold up, I gotta know my rights too!" 
. I mean, Angela Salamanca is doing some awesome work with Siembra and I love how they're not just targeting Latinx-owned businesses or anything 
. Anyone can sign up and get trained on their fourth amendment rights. It's actually kind of inspiring to see all these business owners coming together for this cause 
. And it's not just about avoiding ICE raids, it's also about knowing what's going on in your own community. I'm definitely keeping an eye on how this whole thing plays out 
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think its really cool how siembra's initative is helping north carolina businesses know their rights 
its not just about protecting immigrant rights but also about empowering all business owners with knowledge and confidence. now that ice raids are becoming more frequent, its great that we have groups like siembra pushing back against federal overreach 
. but at the same time, it's a reminder that we have power and control over our own lives and businesses. so let's all just take a deep breath, put on our favorite philosopher's hat 
, and remember that knowledge is always our greatest defense 
But at the same time, can't we just have more open & honest dialogue about immigration laws instead of trying to circumvent them? 
. It's like, can't we find a way to balance security with compassion & understanding? 
they're like teaching business owners about their fourth amendment rights in case of ice raids... i mean who knew having a signed warrant was even an option lol 
anyway, gotta respect that they're trying to empower businesses across nc to take a stand against government overreach. it's not just for latinx-owned businesses either, anyone can join the initiative. and the fact that 250+ businesses have already signed up is pretty lit 
just saw this news about ICE agents hitting up NC businesses and I'm low-key impressed by Siembra's initiative 
250+ businesses signed up already? That's crazy growth 
and Oregon's Baddies for the Fourth 
now, if only we had this kind of awareness across all industries and cities 
. ICE raids are a clear example of the government overstepping its bounds 
, but what's even more concerning is that some businesses are being coerced into signing up for this initiative without fully understanding the implications 
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. If you're a business owner who employs undocumented workers, are you really going to turn them in? And if not, then what's the point of signing up for this initiative? It's like they're trying to create more divisions and mistrust among the community 
. But seriously, it's about time more business owners started thinking about protecting themselves and their employees from all this ICE drama. And Siembra is killing it with these free resources – I mean, who wouldn't want a workbook and printable posters to help 'em out? 
. But I gotta give props to this Siembra group for stepping in and educating business owners about their 4th amendment rights. It's like, basic human rights, you know? Anyway, it's awesome that they're targeting not just Latinx-owned businesses but also white ones too. Steve Mitchell, co-owner of Scuppernong Books, is a great example of someone who was willing to sign up even if he didn't have any personal reasons to be concerned about ICE raids. Now, I'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out in other states and cities 
This whole thing feels like a bunch of unnecessary drama.
they're literally showing up at people's businesses without any reason lol like what even is the point of that? anyway Siembra is doing a solid by educating business owners about their 4th amendment rights it's crazy how many people didn't know what was going on until someone told them to look into it now there are over 250 businesses signed up and more are coming 
. Let's hope more towns and cities follow suit and join the fight against federal overreach 
! 200+ businesses in NC are ready to throw some shade 
. Fourth Amendment rights for all, regardless of immigration status 
. Siembra is the real MVP 