Born in the U.S. to immigrant parents from Mexico, Celeste, 30, is the creator of People Over Papers, a decentralized and anonymous collective that tracks and maps real-time ICE sightings submitted by the public. (For her safety, Gizmodo is using a synonym for Celeste’s real name.) The project functions like a kind of “Waze for immigration raids,” built not to direct traffic, but to save lives, offer warnings, and raise awareness about immigration enforcement operations across the U.S.
Celeste, who works full-time in IT, has chosen to remain anonymous. After right-leaning accounts like Libs of TikTok and Wall Street Apes shared her face and X handle, she received a flood of online harassment, including threats. These accounts have accused her of aiding criminals, a charge she and People Over Papers firmly deny.
Out of concern for her safety, Celeste is not disclosing where she currently lives (though she confirmed it’s no longer in California). At the heart of People Over Papers is a volunteer network of about 45 people, including educators, tech workers, retirees, stay-at-home parents, and unemployed organizers. Together, they play a central role in alerting vulnerable communities to possible ICE raids, efforts that may face increased scrutiny and even legal risk. People Over Papers is just one example of how digital tools, used anonymously, strategically, and with intent, are reshaping what activism looks like under surveillance and pressure.
We asked Celeste 13 questions about the risks, motivations, mechanics, and future of the project, and why she continues doing this work despite the threats. The interview was conducted by telephone.
Gizmodo: How did you get involved with People Over Papers?
Celeste: I created this organization, this team, back in January, because I saw a need for it on TikTok. I was posting informative immigration videos on TikTok and I came across a creator, who was posting a screenshot of her notes app behind her, using the green screen feature on TikTok, and it was just a list of places that people had seen ICE that had reported it to her, and she was getting hundreds of reports. So, I told her: “Why don’t I help you, visualize all the reports that you’re getting? Let’s work together.”
So, we started chatting about it. She gave me all the information I needed to start using Google Maps. You know, I figured that might be a good place to start. Then it took off. Even more, more people started submitting, sending me messages about tips that they had, and a different creator reached out to me and asked if I wanted help. I said, ‘Sure.’ Then we looked for tools that allowed users to submit forms with locations onto a map, and we came across Padlet, and we said, well, let’s try it; see if it works, and the rest is history. It just kind of happened.
Gizmodo: When you saw it taking off, what crossed your mind at that point?
Celeste: I saw a need. I didn’t plan this. In January, I did not think I was going to grow a following. I didn’t think I would be getting calls from reporters. I didn’t think any of that would happen. It wasn’t my goal. I didn’t set off to do this. Again, I just saw a need for it, and my motivation behind all of it is that I’m from a family of immigrants. I believe that this country has been built on the back of immigrants. I believe that we didn’t cross the border. The border crossed us, especially for people who are of Mexican descent, and Indigenous, and I just starkly disagree with the immigration policies of this country.
Gizmodo: Can you elaborate on your background?
... continue reading