San José, CA – After the brutal detention of Ulises Peña Lopez, a Bay Area resident and father, hundreds of San José residents came out on February 23 to demand his freedom from ICE detention. Ulises was viciously beaten by ICE, leading to his hospitalization. The Santa Clara County Rapid Response later found out that he had been transported directly from the hospital to the Golden State Annex ICE detention center in McFarland, California, without his family or legal defense being notified.

The Silicon Valley Immigration Committee had called a protest and march a week before Ulises’ detention. After the brutalization of Ulises by ICE, the Committee joined the Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network, along with a coalition of immigrant rights organizations, to call for Ulises’ freedom and rally in solidarity.

The protest before the march was held at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, a former Safeway location that was once picketed by César Chávez. The protest began with a “danza” prayer for the attendees present from Aztec dancers. The attendees held signs with slogans such as “Free Ulises,” “No ICE in San José, no deportations,” “The border crossed us, no concentration camps” and “Legalization for all, solidarity with immigrants.”

The program began with a speech by Mauricio Torres, a youth community leader with Amigos de Guadalupe, who stated, “Many of my classmates and I talk about things that we hear on TV like how immigrants are all criminals, instead of the things we used to enjoy like toys or games. Now we talk about, ‘What is La Migra?’”

Torres continued, “No one should have to live in fear of losing their family or friends and this is why I am here today, because together we are stronger!”

Under Trump's second presidency, ICE has unleashed a series of attacks on undocumented immigrants, Chicanos and Native Americans. Most recently, Trump has turned Guantanamo Bay into a concentration camp for undocumented immigrants.

Bekki Shibayama, a Japanese-American community leader with the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee, stated, “Scapegoating, mass roundups, indefinite detention, mass deportation, and family separation are alarming reminders of the civil and human rights violations perpetrated against our families during World War II.”

Rebeca Armendariz from Working Partnerships USA, a member organization of the Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network, read an updated statement form the family of Ulises and the Rapid Response Network, that said in part, “We are devastated by the violent and unlawful actions taken by ICE against our beloved Ulises.”

In 2006, the San José May Day Coalition held one of many mega marches in the United States on May 1. Uriel Magdaleno recalled the day without an immigrant march, stating, “Since the revival of May Day due to the 2006 mega marches, International Workers Day, May 1, has become a day to fight for immigrant rights as well as worker rights!”

Magdaleno is also a part of the San José May Day Coalition which is currently planning this year’s 2025 May Day March.

“We need to be in solidarity with immigrants; against Trump’s attacks on undocumented immigrants and threats to deport entire families, including Chicanos with immigrant family members. Regardless of immigration status, Trump's attacks are a threat to us all,” Magdaleno continued, “As a member organization of the Legalization For All Network, we are making the call for May Day – a day without an immigrant: fight for immigrants and workers’ rights!”

Trump has repeatedly made threats to end DACA. Two students with the San Jose State University club UNITE, an undocumented scholar network resource club, spoke on the importance of defending DACA recipients and undocumented students who depend on the program's benefits to succeed in university.

Veronica Ibanez of Papeles Para todos closed out the program. Ibanez demanded that people stay involved in the struggle for immigrant rights. After the program, the protesters marched to Story and King Road and concluded with a vigil for Jocelyn Rojo Carranza.