Chicago, IL – On a stormy Fourth of July, 1000 Chicagoans marched to oppose Trump’s racist and reactionary agenda. The people marched to oppose Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” that he signed into law Friday.

The new law slashes safety net programs that feed and educate children and provided healthcare for the poor and disabled. It also adds an estimated $3.3 trillion in debt and gives billionaires tax cuts. More tax dollars will now go for deportations, police repression, Israel’s genocide in Gaza and war against Iran.

“There has never been anything to celebrate on the Fourth of July, but especially not this year, as our neighbors are being kidnapped right in front of us, as our civil rights are under attack, and as Trump continues to advance his racist and reactionary Republican agenda,” said Kayla Nguyen, an immigrant rights activist.

Nguyen also condemned the FBI’s arrest and repression of Alejandro Orellana, Verita Topete, and other immigrant rights activists in Los Angeles.

“Racist, white supremacist legislators in DC just voted for Trump's tax cuts for the ultra-rich which also mean historic cuts to safety net programs like Medicaid and food stamps that will result in people dying,” said Lara Haddadin of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

Organizers led the crowd in chants like “Money for jobs and education, not for wars and deportations!” and “We want justice, you say how, ICE off our streets now!”

The crowd responded uproariously to calls for defending the rights of immigrants and LGBTQ people.

“Our strategy must be to unite and fight back. We have to be calling our elected officials. We have to be shutting down their offices. We have to be doing labor organizing. Get involved in an organization!” said Kobi Guillory with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Crystal Gardner, a community leader with Westside based 290 IPO spoke, “To Donald Trump and his minions, we are not afraid of you. My people have seen worse and survived. We’ve seen worse and fought back. We’ve seen worse and won!”

The demonstrators marched across downtown Chicago, stopping at a federal detention facility. Chicago Police blocked the march across the street from the ICE field office, but the people maneuvered around them using the sidewalks. Marchers then advanced to Trump Tower on the river, where they gathered for a final rally.

Onlookers cheered on the marchers as they approached the tower, and Chicago’s famous Bucket Boys raced into the march, where they filled the air with their legendary drumming and chants of “Free, free Palestine!”.After a few more moments of chants, organizers ensured participants left in groups to dissuade harassment from police, as DHS agents had been observed near the march.

Organized by the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) and the Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP), the day’s message was clear: working and oppressed people must organize together to defend our rights and fight for the resources our communities need.

#ChicagoIL #IL #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #LGBTQ #ImmigrantRights #Labor #CATA #CJP #ICE #Trump