Santa Ana, CA – On January 20, over 150 people packed into the street in front of the Santa Ana Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office to protest a year under Trump. The protest, organized by Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC), brought together organizers from all over Orange County. The energy in the crowd grew as they shouted chants of “ICE out of Santa Ana! ICE out of OC!” and “Trump! Escucha! Estamos en la lucha!”

Rain Mendoza from CSO OC’s Immigration Committee kicked off the protest by exclaiming “One year of racist ICE raids. One year of expanding imperialist wars. One year of the big bullshit bill that hurt the working class. And one year of resistance here in Orange County and all over the country!” She added “We must build the movement, the united front against the Trump administration!”

Diana Terreros, another member of CSO OC’s Immigration Committee, stated, “In just one year, we have seen families ripped apart in the form of both deportations and killings. Shame! We have seen Chicanos fighting back against those deportations brutalized by both local and federal law enforcement and slapped with federal charges simply for protesting. Shame! We have seen Palestinians continue to be killed every day with the backing of U.S. resources. Shame! We have seen the bombing of Venezuela and a kidnapping of their president in an attempt to control their oil reserves. Shame!”

Terreros continued, “While all of these terrible things are being done by this administration, I also see the people rising up to say no more! The people demanding that our sell-out council members Mayor Amezcua, Phil Bacerra and David Penaloza stand with us and actually do something to protect our largely immigrant city. I also see Santaneros in the streets protesting, ICE watching, and educating people on their rights. I see people wanting to help in any way they can.”

Rachel Pozos from Alianza Translatinx talked about the important work her organization is doing, stating, “being on the front lines here in Santa Ana fighting for trans liberation and trans rights under this administration that is trying to kill trans people through legislation and other methods.”

Abraham Quintana from Freedom Road Socialist Organization declared ”while many cities like Minneapolis and Chicago are pushing back, we know we need a united national movement, we need a working-class revolution to put an end to capitalism, the system that puts profit before people!“

The crowd took to the streets, marching through downtown with chants of “Killer ICE! Off our streets!” and “SAPD, KKK, I-C-E they’re all the same!” echoing through the city. Protesters raised signs that reflected many of the issues heightened by the Trump administration such as demanding hands off of immigrants, calling for justice for Renee Good, and stopping the U.S.’s war on Venezuela. Pedestrians in the busy downtown area watched and cheered on the protesters as they marched by.

After arriving at Sasscer Park, Emma Gottfried from CSO OC’s Police Accountability Committee started by saying “Our system already protects killer cops so heavily and Trump’s executive orders promises legal help to officers for their actions, emboldening cops to brutalize us and attack the people’s movements. We can’t let police be used to collaborate with ICE in our city, a sanctuary city!”

Gottfried added, “The people who live in our communities have a democratic right to decide on how the police run in our city. Under Trump, that right is more important than ever.”

A member of the Orange County Democratic Socialists of America, rallied the crowd by stating ”despite the best efforts of the billionaire ruling class, to crush the people's resistance, we choose to fight!” She encouraged people to get involved in organizations.

A speaker from the International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) SoCal told the crowd, “ICE has been kidnapping migrants off the streets, from their homes, from their workplaces. ICE has violently killed Renee Good and many more. Dozens are dying in detention centers from neglect and inhumane conditions.” They emphasized that the ruling class blames those “who come here for a better life, to escape the crises that the system has created in the first place! They want us to feel scared, to be continued to be exploited but we know the solution to this crisis! It is up to us to organize and build collective power!”

This protest was endorsed by and included organizers from OC DSA, Guerrero FFPS, Alianza Translatinx, FRSO OC, ILPS SoCal, and Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice.

If you are interested in joining in these fights, follow CSO OC on Instagram at cso.oc, Facebook at Orange County CSO, or email at [email protected].

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