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Jan 31, 25
Filed under: Action, Featured, Immigration, Repression, The State, US
Anger is boiling over in the streets, as demonstrations, protests, and school walkouts are spreading against ICE raids and attacks on undocumented workers, schools and communities. While the Trump administration has attempted to paint the raids as a way to target violent criminals, according to NBC, of the recent arrests in Chicago, “nearly half of those detained don’t have criminal records, according to a senior Trump administration official…[They] appear to be nonviolent offenders or people who have not committed any criminal offense other than crossing the border illegally.” Tom Homan has also doubled-down on calls for ICE to raid schools, claiming that “many MS-13 members” are currently enrolled. These sweeping attacks on working-class communities are designed to instill fear, make people afraid of organizing for better conditions, and increase the repressive power of the State.
Since entering office, Trump has sent more than 1,500 troops to the US/Mexico border, closed already limited pathways to asylum and citizenship, and blocked refugees from entering the country. The day after taking office, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “issued a statement announcing that the administration has rescinded guidelines that previously deterred immigration police from conducting raids in locations considered “sensitive” or “protected.” Trump has also invoked the Alien Enemies Act and attempted (and so far failed) to end birthright citizenship, a blatant violation of the 14th amendment. Both Democrats and Republicans have also recently worked to pass the Laken Riley Act, which allows the state to potentially deport, regardless of conviction, undocumented people “accused of crimes, including several misdemeanor offenses.” The Trump administration has also pushed for the construction of a 30,000 person migrant prison at Guantánamo Bay.
In response, people across the country have been organizing, forming rapid response networks, holding demonstrations and school walkouts, and conducting Know Your Rights trainings. A recent article from The Guardian reported on the situation in Chicago:
[T]he city has been buzzing with action. Know Your Rights workshops taking place at community centers, local parks and union meetings across the city have been packed with participants. A network of local advocates has been coordinating to track operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents, and connect the families of those detained with legal aid.
Tom Homan, Trump so-called ‘Border Czar’ recently decried such organizing on CNN, claiming that people in Chicago were too educated on their rights, making ICE operations difficult.
What follows is a roundup of anti-ICE actions and protests from across the US. For more updates, follow us on BlueSky and Mastodon.
Anti-ICE Actions Across the Country
Noise demonstration at the ICE building in Portland last night. Smaller group of people showed up and judging by the response and fear the feds were pretty caught off guard. The entire night there was about 4 of them actively responding while a few of their buddies kept watch inside.
— Alissa Azar (@alissaazar.bsky.social) 2025-01-21T21:26:56.457Z
Portland, OR: Anti-ICE protest and noise demonstration outside of ICE building. Riot police shoot projectile weapons at crowd; anti-ICE slogans written in graffiti.
Berkeley, CA: Rally and protest at UC Berkeley.
In 2006 – wildcat strikes + enormous protests flooded major cities with millions across the US against legislation that criminalized solidarity with migrant workers.These mass protests started with student led walkouts. These walkouts are starting again. sanjosespotlight.com/east-san-jos…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-01-29T21:26:24.091Z
San Jose, CA: Hundreds of high school students organized a walkout, joining other anti-ICE protesters in the streets:
Hundreds of community members stopped traffic in East San Jose Tuesday afternoon while protesting against President Donald Trump’s threats of mass deportations.
With lowrider trucks parked along the intersection of Story and King roads playing music, protestors marched through traffic and brought the intersection to a standstill, waving flags and with posters reading “No human is illegal on stolen land” and “Stop deportation.”
At the rally’s peak, protestors young and old stood on the intersection corners while others marched up and down the surrounding streets. While cars could still pass, drivers honked in support. People chanted, “Si se puede,” which translates to “yes you can,” and “ICE out of San Jose” as they stood on the street corners and walked up and down the roads.
“We just need to let [Trump] know he’s wrong,” said Teresa Alcaraz, a resident of San Jose. “We’re getting our voices across because that’s what we do.”
The protest came two days after the first reported activity of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Jose since the inauguration of Trump, who came into office threatening mass deportations across the country.
A student walkout that began Tuesday afternoon at William C. Overfelt High School walked about a mile to join the protest, with students starting by sharing speeches at the school before being escorted by the lowriders on the walk. Shortly after 2:30 p.m., the two protests combined.
Riverside, CA: Protest and march against ICE.
Los Angeles, CA: Rally and Know Your Rights training.
, CA: Rally and protest against ICE.
San Diego, CA: Rally against attempt by police to work with ICE:
At times chanting “MAGA politics out of El Cajon” and holding signs that read “No police in our schools,” “A nation built by immigrants” and other slogans, several people spoke outside City Council chambers and vowed to return the next day when the council takes up the resolution for a second time.
Las Vegas, NV: Rally and protest against ICE outside of Trump hotel.
Phoenix, AZ: Protest and rally against ICE.
Denver, CO: Rally and march against ICE.
A video from today’s protest in Dallas. I got choked up watching it. 🤷🏼♀️
DFW, TX: Massive protest against mass deportations:
More than 1,000 people came out to the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in a show of solidarity among immigrants and advocates opposed to the president’s mass deportations. Chants of “Sí se puede” or “Yes we can,” the battle cry for immigrants fighting for rights in the U.S., were heard widely and loudly.
Austin, TX: Rally and protest against ICE.
Temple, TX: Rally and protest against ICE.
San Antonio, TX: Rally and protest against ICE.
Waco, TX: Rally and protest of ICE.
Harlingen, TX: Rally and protest against ICE.
Lubbock, TX: Rally and protest against ICE.
Laredo, TX: Rally and protest against ICE.
San Marcos, TX: Rally and protest on the Texas State campus.
Lincoln, NB: Rally and march against ICE.
Omaha, NB: “Hundreds of people were seen at the protest that lasted for more than five hours.”
Community members + students are rallying in #OklahomaCity against far-Right Trump loyalist Ryan Walters plans to deport students. Walters said he would work with Trump to target "schools + even children" + start by "collect[ing] the citizenship status of students." #ICE www.koco.com/article/ryan…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-01-29T21:40:04.601Z
Oklahoma City, OK: Community members and students held a rally outside of a recent Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, to protest plans by far-Right Trump loyalist Ryan Walters to deport students. Students also organized a walkout on January 17th. Walters said he would work with Trump to target “schools and even children” and would start by “collect[ing] the citizenship status of students.” From a local report:
The Oklahoma State Board of Education approved proposed rule changes, including one on gathering data about student’s immigration status, at a regular meeting on Jan. 28.
This came after around 100 Oklahomans gathered at the OSDE building before the meeting to protest the rule change and Walters’ statement on letting immigration officers into schools.
The new rules would require legal guardians to provide proof of their citizenship, as well as their child’s, when enrolling their students. They would also require schools to document how many students could not provide proof of citizenship.
Walters said that the OSDE would keep that information private, but they would cooperate with law enforcement in the event of an investigation.
Lexington, KY: Protest and march against ICE.
Rogers, AK: Rally and protest against ICE.
St. Louis, MO: Rally and march against ICE.
Springfield, MO: Rally and protest against ICE.
Overland, MO: Rally and march against ICE.
NOW: Hundreds of people in the park across from Water Tower Place in Chicago to rally and march against the Trump agenda.
— Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic.bsky.social) 2025-01-25T18:37:09.600Z
Chicago, IL: Mass protests and marches hit the streets against a backdrop of repression and ongoing ICE raids. As one report wrote:
A coalition of immigration activist, pro-Palestinian and other groups gathered Saturday afternoon downtown Chicago to push back against President Donald Trump’s administration.
Outrage turned to action as a coalition of communities took to the streets to express their anger over the policies of the second Trump administration.
“I just think its really important to have solidarity, especially at times like these, regardless of what’s happened,” one demonstrator said. “What’s done is done.”
Hundreds gathered Saturday afternoon at Chicago’s Water Tower Park. The march trekked down Michigan Avenue and swelled to about a thousand people before another rally was staged across the river from Trump Tower.
“We are really showing that working people are united to oppose fascism, to oppose racism, to oppose his co-president Elon Musk making Nazi salutes at the inauguration,” demonstrator Elena Gormley said.
Columbus, OH: Rally and protest against ICE.
Indianapolis, IN: Rally and protest against ICE.
Des Moines, IA: March and rally against ICE.
Grand Rapids, MI: Rally and march against ICE.
Albertville, AL: Rally and protest against ICE.
Gainesville, FL: Rally and protest against ICE.
Tallahassee, FL: Rally and protest against ICE.
Gainesville, GA: Rally and protest against ICE.
Charleston, SC: Rally and protest against ICE. Police make several arrests as the large demonstration did not have a “permit.”
North Philadelphia, PA: People rallied against ICE following people being targeted in a recent raid.
Hackensack, NJ: Rally and protest against ICE.
