As the Trump administration continues to accelerate the deportations of immigrants — including to third-party countries — artists and comedians alike are jumping into action.
On Saturday, creatives will gather at the La Cita Bar in downtown L.A. to release “Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE Out,” a new album released under the label SoundsGood Records that rallies against the inhumane onslaught of immigration enforcement and amplifies the humanity of immigrant communities.
“The fire was there, the urgency was there,” said Dali Colorado, a longtime DJ and Los Angeles native who helped curate the 47-track project. “ I really want people to listen to it as a calming space, to sit and feel the vibration by all the artists.”
The Saturday event, which kicks off at 8 p.m., will double as a benefit show. Proceeds will go to nonprofits like Build Art Make Change, which spearheaded the compilation, as well as community defense organizations Unión del Barrio and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).
While somber at times, the compilation kicks off with “I Refuse,” an eerie spoken-word track composed by Filer Coleman, who pieces together anonymous testimonies of civil rights violations. Coleman later joins forces with HopesAndDrums for a house mix that calls for abolishing ICE.
But the anthology also deploys humor as a form of protest. In the track “Al and Chris Vs. ICE,” comedians Al Madrigal and Chris Estrada call out Latino ICE agents in a country-punk standoff, by rescinding their invitations to the collective carne asada. Comedian Frankie Quiñones also reprises his role as Creeper from his web series, “CholoFit,” to lead a meditation.
Other notable features include Fred Armisen, Kathleen Hanna, Ad-Rock, Adrian Quesada, Ceci Bastida, Tom Morello, Richard Montoya, Tropa Magica and more.
The origin of the momentous volunteer project dates back to the day that President Trump was elected for his second term in 2024. Colorado felt uneasy after Trump vowed to carry out the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history” once in office.
“Things are gonna get really bad,” Colorado said to herself.
In the summer following Trump’s inauguration, his administration would conduct massive immigration raids and sweeps in Colorado’s hometown. She thought, “How can you do social justice when you’re an artist?”
Alongside her longtime friend, saxophonist Ulises “Uli” Bella of Grammy-winning band Ozomatli, the two recalled moments of political polarization under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush between 1981 and 1993. They looked to the presidents’ response, or lack thereof, to the HIV/AIDS epidemic — which claimed an estimated 100,777 lives between 1981 and 1990, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 1990, the Red Hot Organization — a nonprofit raising awareness and funding to fight the global HIV/AIDS epidemic — released its first compilation album, “Red Hot + Blue.” The organization has release 21 compilations and raised over $10 million since; its subsequent television special on ABC became one of the first major AIDS benefits in the music business.
“[‘Red Hot + Blue’] really resonates with me — the silence equals death [idea],” said Colorado, quoting a protest slogan from AIDS activist organization ACT UP. “Because that’s how I feel about what’s happening here. We have to mobilize. We have to become active.”
Bella cited post-hardcore band Fugazi as inspiration for the album, as well as punk rockers Dead Kennedys, who used satire to call out corporate greed and politicians. They famously likened former California Gov. Jerry Brown to a hippie fascist in “California Über Alles”; Dead Kennedys’ former frontman Jello Biafra also contributed to the anti-ICE album.
“I was a teenage kid listening to this stuff and I was getting so much political education from all these bands,” said Bella.
There was one particularly gripping incident that occurred during the height of the ICE raids in L.A. that inspired the album cover for “Contra-ICE.” Designed by Lalo Alcaraz, the artwork features an ice cream cart under a spotlight, surrounded by loudspeakers.
Bella recalled the haunting image of the abandoned paletero cart, which belonged to Ambrocio “Enrique” Lozano, an undocumented immigrant who sold ice cream in Culver City for nearly two decades before he was taken by masked federal agents inside an unmarked vehicle.
“It’s almost like all of a sudden someone disappeared into thin air. That cart is just left there as a testament to their existence,” said Bella.
Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of all-woman punk band Bikini Kill, jumped at the chance to participate in the project.
“ We all obviously strongly believe that people should not be kidnapped off the streets,” said Hanna — who pioneered the “riot grrrl” feminist punk movement in the early 1990s. In the album, she covers “Let Me Love You” by DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber, alongside Ad-Rock, Money Mark, Fredo Ortiz and Frank Figueroa.
It’s not a love song, she said in a call to The Times, but rather a track that counters the dehumanization of immigrants, who are made to feel undeserving of human rights and respect. “[They say] you’re not lovable, you’re not worthy, you’re not even human,” she explained.
“I sang it with that emotion in my heart, that feeling of telling someone else, ‘No, you are lovable,’” said Hanna.
There were some initial doubts over the relevance that “Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE Out” would have a year after the blitz of ICE raids in 2025, which Bella called “ political theater” — citing how former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem appeared publicly donning tactical gear, which critics called opportunistic.
“ Sadly, we’re still here and it’s as worse as ever,” said Bella.
Jim Coleman, who releases ambient music as Filer Coleman, believes the timing of this release is more relevant than ever.
The musician was a keyboardist and founding member of Cop Shoot Cop, a noise rock group that formed in New York City in 1987. Coleman recalled a recent New York Times article that highlighted how immigration raids this summer — which surpassed 50,000 arrests in July and August — received little public backlash compared to last year’s wave.
“[ICE] activities are becoming way more accelerated, but the visibility is decreased. A lot of people are like ‘Oh, is that still a thing?’” said Coleman. “This album is ‘Volume One,’ so I think there’s a road ahead where we can continue.”
Creative director Jake Trussell — the visionary behind HopesAndDrums, whose production is also featured throughout the album — felt called to contribute after witnessing Operation Midway Blitz in his Chicago neighborhood, an immigration enforcement plan that launched Sept. 8, 2025.
“They’ve killed people since then. They keep shooting people. They keep arresting innocent people. They’re going around in masks and unmarked vehicles without badges,” said Trussell.
There have been other moments of terror that lit a fire in Trussell’s soul, including the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti on Jan. 7 and 24, respectively, by federal agents.
“It was inspiring for me to see the people of Minneapolis come out on the streets [protesting], and hopefully what we’re doing will be inspiring to others,” said Trussell.
Performances for “Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE Out” will begin at 8 p.m. Saturday with various contributors taking part — including Bella, Filer Coleman and HopesAndDrums.
They will be joined by L.A.-based acts like Fishbone, Los Abandoned, Daniel French of Las Cafeteras, Of Mexican Descent feat. 2Mex, Las Chorizeras and Nancy Sanchez. Comedians Richard Montoya of Culture Clash and Frankie Quiñones and cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz will also make cameos.
The post ‘Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE Out’ compilation rocks against the Trump administration appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
