Tampa, FL — Despite a thunderstorm and tornado warning, a small but passionate group of workers and community members rallied in Ybor City on May 2 to celebrate International Workers' Day. The rally was organized by the West Central Florida Future Labor Leaders, the youth branch of the West Central Florida Central Labor Council, with demands to defend workers’ and immigrants’ rights.

The speakers included workers from a wide range of unions, such as Graduate Assistants United, the American Federation of Government Employees, Service Employees International Union, Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Polk Education Association. An immigrant rights group, the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee, also spoke in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Day Without Immigrants protests.

Just one day before the rally, on May Day itself, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the union-busting SB 1296 into law. The bill is a direct attack on public-sector unions in the state, creating additional barriers to recertification. SB 1296 comes just three years after SB 256, another bill that raised the bar for recertification and decertified more than 100 public-sector unions in the state.

Shortly after losing their union in 2023, the University of South Florida's custodial, groundskeeping and maintenance workers had their jobs privatized. This past year, the workers unionized again, this time with SEIU.

“Since we were privatized, they have taken everything away from us,” said Juan Pena, an electrician at USF and organizer with SEIU 32BJ. “We’re fighting for fair wages, fair contract and salary.”

Speaking in Spanish, Paola Gutierrez with SEIU 32BJ said, “Siempre he dicho que todos unidos somos una sola voz y por eso creo que los sindicatos están listos para defendernos,” or “I have always said all of us united are one single voice and that’s why I believe that unions are ready to defend us.”

The rally ended with a short march around Centennial Park, with attendees chanting “Get up, get down, Tampa is a union town!” The march came to a close just behind the “Immigrant Statue,” a bronze sculpture honoring the Cuban, Italian and Spanish families who immigrated to and built Ybor City.

#TampaFL #FL #MayDay #InternationalWorkersDay #ImmigrantRights #Labor

Tacoma, WA – Several hundred people took to the streets of Tacoma on May 1 to rally for immigrants and workers’ rights. The crowd gathered around 4 p.m. and began chanting with messages such as “Stand up and shut it down, Tacoma is a union town!” and “Power to the people! No one is illegal!” Energy was high, and the mood of the event was celebratory.

The rally opened on Tacoma’s downtown Theater Plaza, with speeches from union members, immigrant rights activists, and tenant organizers. Nearly 40 organizations endorsed the event, including Teamsters Local 117, Washington State Nurses Association, Indivisible Tacoma, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Malaya Tacoma, and many more.

“I think May Day is the sickest holiday ever created,” said one attendee, Edgar Alvarez. “I’m here to contribute to the workers’ movement first and foremost. We’re in a spot right now where we need to start building momentum.”

The program at Theater Square concluded with a performance of Solidarity Forever by local protest band Bugs for Change. The crowd then moved into the street and marched first up the hill to Tacoma City Hall.

The crowd continued with chants such as “Union jobs and education, we will fight for liberation!” and “Stop the deportations!”

“Immigrant workers were on the front lines of the Haymarket affair, they were on the front lines of the 2006 megamarches and continue to be on the front lines of labor struggles across the country,” said Rie Guerrero of Pierce County Immigration Alliance. “The reason we’re stopping here at Tacoma City Hall is because one of the entities reaping profits from the abuse of our immigrant neighbors is our very own city government. The city of Tacoma has invested its retirement system in a mutual fund that has holdings in GEO Group, meaning it has banked its employees' financial futures on the continued profitability of concentration camps like the Northwest Detention Center.”

After that rousing speech, the crowd marched back down the hill towards the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC).

“We’re marching to demand justice for the immigrants that are in detainment in the NWDC,” said Moon Gosserand, emcee of the coalition event. “We must always, even if we don’t know them personally, stand up for the people that need it.”

The planned route to the NWDC crossed Tacoma’s 11th Street bridge, and, as protesters approached the bridge, members of the Tacoma Police Department started forming barricades to block the marchers from continuing on their route. However, the marshal team refused to turn back and pushed through. Eventually the police relented and the protesters continued as planned, completely shutting down the 11th Street bridge.

Chanting continued as the crowd made their way to the NWDC, including chants such as ““When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “Shut it down! Shut it tight! Workers of the world unite!”

Upon arrival at the NWDC, the crowd continued chanting and the program resumed on the street outside the detention center. There were more songs and speeches, including one from Maximo Londonio, a member of Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 695, who was imprisoned by ICE in May 2025.

One attendee reflected on the crowd which had marched nearly two miles from the starting location, “It’s really cool to see so many people from Tacoma uniting and showing up,” said Sterling Peel, a band leader with Bugs for Change and general member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “It really shows that this is a working-class town for the working-class people, and we have a strong working-class movement, and I love to see it.”

The program concluded with a song offered by members of Tangoll Migrante Movement which included the refrain “¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!” Many attendees vowed to continue fighting.

“Bottom line is, get in the streets!” said Alvarez. “If you’re not in the streets, get in the streets.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #Labor #MayDay

Santa Ana, CA – On May 1, nearly 300 people packed into Sasscer Park for International Workers’ Day. The rally and march, which also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the immigrant mega marches, was organized by the Orange County May Day Coalition. The energy in the crowd grew as the emcee of the rally, Abe Quintana from Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) led chants of “ICE out of Santa Ana! ICE out of OC!”

Michelle Ceballos from UAW started by emphasizing “the wealthy have extracted more and more profit from us, kept our wages low, raised prices, and bought out our politicians! It doesn’t have to be this way! May Day reminds us that when we fight, we win!”

Speaking on the immigrant mega marches 20 years ago Ceballos added, “In 2006, on a Day Without an Immigrant, millions hit the streets to defeat an anti-immigrant law, and won. In January, hundreds of thousands across the U.S. shut it down, to get ICE to back off. Today, people joined the call to shut it down again, to keep building momentum for a mass movement!”

Erika Armenta, the wife of Noe Rodriguez, a man who was killed by Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) is also a member of CSO OC. Armenta told the crowd, “We need community control of the police to ensure that officers who have taken the lives of our loved ones face consequences-specifically, that they be fired and subsequently imprisoned. They must be held accountable for the lives they have unjustly snatched away!”

Armenta also spoke of CSO OC’s fight for immigrant rights, “Our Immigration Committee works with the working-class immigrants of the Coach Royal mobile home park who are fighting unjust evictions and abuse from Kingsley Management Corporation.”

Hussein Imreish from the Palestinian Youth Movement said,“ For the past two years we have seen how essential the labor movement is for Palestine. Through our campaigns such as Mask of Maersk and the Peoples Arms Embargo we have connected with principled and dedicated workers who reject the imperialist forces inflicting violence and exploiting our people.”

Diana Terreros from Freedom Road Socialist Organization Orange County (FRSO OC) kicked off her speech by saying, “Immigrants are super exploited to increase the profits of the billionaires.” Terreros spoke about the local example of Kingsley. “They do illegal terrible things to the residents all for profit and then count on the residents being too afraid to fight back due to their status. They have even threatened to call ICE on them! Shame!” Terreros finished with a call to action by saying, “We are an organization of fighters working shoulder to shoulder with the working class and have a real strategy to build a united front against these capitalists and you should join us in this fight!”

Gaby Hernandez from Chicanos Unidos stated, “We have worked heavily and led the campaign against gang injunctions. Gang injunctions create prisons in our communities without walls.” Hernandez added that “We started fighting against injunctions in 2006 and just a few months ago we were able to shut down injunctions here in Orange County!”

At the height of the rally, the large crowd started marching. The protesters stopped traffic, fully taking over the road, chanting “ICE out of OC!”, “Donald Trump, let’s be clear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and “Jail killer cops!” throughout downtown as the crowd filled the busy streets.

The crowd held up signs saying “No Ice! Stop the deportations,” “Workers Forever, CEOs never” and “Fight for workers' and immigrants’ rights” while passing cars gave honks of support.

While marching, David Pulido, a member of FRSO OC and a chant leader for the march, brought attention to the parking lot where 73-year-old Miguel Chavez was brutally arrested by the SAPD in 2022. “They shot him with less-lethal rounds and sicced a K-9 dog at him! He later died from his wounds!” This started powerful chants of “Justice for Miguel Chavez!” and “Jail killer cops!”

This OC May Day coalition was comprised of and included organizers from CSO OC, OC DSA, FRSO OC, UAW, Harbor Institute, El Centro Cultural de Mexico, Code Pink OC, OC Peace Coalition, CHIRLA, Orange County Banner Drop, OC Mutual Aid, Chicanos Unidos, Palestinian Youth Movement Orange County Environmental Justice, General Strike US, Nuestras Manos, Santa Ana Lucha, Santa Ana Active Streets, Save Orange Hills, Green Party of OC, Union de Barrio, VietRISE and Climate Action Campaign and.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #OC #OrangeCounty #MayDay #InternationalWorkersDay #ImmigrantRights #Labor #CSOOC

Denver, CO – On Friday, May 1, public spaces saw protests, rallies and events celebrating International Workers’ Day. About 100 attended a May Day rally at the Colorado State Capitol to hear activists, organizers and workers speak in support of workers everywhere.

Grassroots groups such as Aurora Unidos Community Service Organization (AUCSO), Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) put on the May Day rally, inviting all those who stand against the billionaire agenda threatening community safety, and who stand for labor rights, public services and education to attend.

Alfredo Carbajal of AUCSO spoke to the crowd about issues plaguing immigrants in Denver and Aurora, including the GEO Detention Center in Aurora, which holds over 1500 people.

Carbajal stated, “For over a year now, we’ve witnessed the international targeting of our Black and brown friends and family with racist policing, detainment and family separation. From guard mistreatment to malnourishment and medical neglect, we have heard it all.” AUCSO works closely with families targeted by immigration enforcement and private for-profit prisons like GEO.

Carbajal continued, “Immigrants, workers and students are in the fight for a more just path to legalization and true self-determination.”

Miles Thompson, chair of DACAC told the crowd, “The police serve as a tool used by the bosses to stifle the progress that labor unions fight so hard to make, in addition to terrorizing our neighbors from oppressed nationalities.”

Thompson continued, “At DACAC, our fight for community control of the police is linked intrinsically to the labor struggle, and for Black and Chicano liberation. We oppose any and all suppression carried out by the corrupt police that harm civilians of all backgrounds.”

Condemning Aurora’s current police chief, Todd Chamberlain, for protecting “killer cops and slandering victims of police brutality,” Thompson pointed out that Chamberlain was not elected by the people and chose to serve the ruling class. Thompson also made a call to action, encouraging those who stand with the working class to use May Day to connect with like-minded organizers.

Kyle Burroughs of FRSO stated, “Which side are you on? As the CEO at UPS, Carol Tome, and her ghouls, see a potential boom in profits from automation. Buildings are closing down, tens of thousands of my coworkers at UPS are kicked to the curb and told they can't work their livelihood anymore, their healthcare and what bit of financial stability they had stripped of them. Which side are you on?”

Burroughs also denounced the war on Iran and the need to “drive a stake through the heart of the parasite class, the capitalist class.”

Burroughs continued, “There's so much to fight against, but there’s also so much to fight for.”

After the event at the capitol, many organizers and attendees went on to support other May Day events happening later that day.

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay

Jacksonville, FL – Chants of “Who got the power? We got the power! What kind of power? Workers’ power!” echoed in the streets of downtown Jacksonville, May 1, as Duval County celebrated its largest May Day commemoration yet. With over a dozen organizations and union locals in attendance, the community showed up in solidarity with the workers' struggle, with immigrants, and all oppressed peoples of the world.

Attendees reaffirmed the critical work of union organizing and the power of collective action to gain us the rights we have and the rights we'll continue to fight for. “When the beast of imperialism tries to take a bite out of an organized working class, it chokes!” said a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

People's movements united under one banner that read “Workers of the world unite! Fight fight fight!” Other signs read “Money for workers, not bombs!” and “Union busting is disgusting!”

Attendees heard union reps speak from Duval Teachers United, IATSE 115, Starbucks Workers United, IBEW 177, and the North Florida Central Labor Council. Immigrant rights was the highlight of many speeches throughout the program, with connections being made between the movement for legalization for all and workers' rights, the anti-war movement, and state-sanctioned violence experienced by the people who fight back.

“Just like the migrants who work alongside us, we have been reduced to nothing but our labor and the profits we produce for the ruling class,” said a member of the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance.

The president of the North Florida Central Labor Council said, “We're here today on May Day to talk about the successful labor struggles of working people, especially our immigrant brothers and sisters, in Palestine, and everyone. We support them.”

The programming closed out with everyone singing in unison Solidarity Forever.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay

Bozeman, MT – On May 1, around 50 students walked out of Gallatin High School during third period, joining a growing wave of protests against ICE and its impact on immigrant communities. The walkout was organized by senior Charlotte Haslam as part of her senior project and as an effort to mobilize students in what she described as a politically divided school environment.

As the bell rang, students streamed out of the building and assembled near the front entrance before marching toward a nearby park. While the demonstration remained peaceful, it drew visible opposition. A group of students briefly followed the group while mocking them with unrelated signs, while passing vehicles, one displaying a Trump flag, recorded the protesters.

For many participants, the issue of immigrant rights is very close to home. Some cited family ties to immigrants, while others pointed to broader political concerns and the growing fear in the national climate.

Haslam emphasized, “That’s what the government is trying to do to us at this point, scare us into silence and fearmonger people into compliance.”

Haslam continued, “I would tell students, you know, don’t be afraid. Don’t quiet yourself. Don’t make yourself smaller. Just do whatever feels right to you.”

“It’s just so devastating to see children being taken from their parents and seeing people get killed by the government,” Haslam said. “I have Hispanic friends whose parents are immigrants, and it’s so sad to watch them stay in their houses because they’re scared to go outside just to go shopping. It’s a horrible, horrible thing that we’re witnessing.”

At the park, Haslam addressed the crowd, calling for public resources to be directed toward healthcare, education, and working-class communities rather than immigration enforcement. She encouraged those in attendance to remain politically active beyond the demonstration.

School officials stated that students are permitted to exercise their First Amendment rights, though those who left class without an excuse would receive an unexcused absence in accordance with school policy. For the attendees, however, the consequences were secondary to the demonstration itself. The walkout, they said, was about proving that even in a conservative environment, students are willing to speak out.

Haslam encouraged students to continue organizing, and to continue fighting back against fear and silence. “If you have a passion for something and really believe in it, and really want to make a change, don’t let anything stop you,” she said.

#BozemanMT #MT #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #Featured #Highschool #Walkout

Salt Lake City – This May Day, hundreds gathered at Salt Lake City’s Washington Square Park, May 1, to celebrate the hard fought achievements of the workers and immigrant movements and to call the people to keep organizing and fighting for a more just world.

Socialists, progressives, unionists and immigrant rights activists spoke about the unique struggles facing Utahns. Issues included the struggle to keep ICE off our streets to Utah’s status as a Right to Work state, to the recently approved military data center in Box Elder County, an installation that will significantly affect not only the local residents but those under the thumb of U.S. imperialism.

Mustafa Khader from the 71 Percent Coalition, a local organization fighting for the end of U.S. complicity in the genocide of Palestinians, remarked, “Our enemy is fascism, capitalism and imperialism,” and “We will always be there to remind the people that we are the ones who are the change.” There were calls to join local organizations and come together as communities to fight back against the oppression we are facing within Utah, across the nation, and globally.

A contingent from the FRSO held a banner reading “Defend immigrant and workers rights” and passed out signs and waters to others in the crowd.

After the rally the FRSO held a May Day panel at the Utah Workers Center to speak on the state of the labor, immigrant rights, Anti War, and socialist movements today.

Carson Bybee, speaking for the FRSO stated, “May Day calls us to intensify the fight. Organize your workplaces, build revolutionary parties, and prepare for the battles ahead.” The speech highlighted the rich history of the struggle for workers’ rights and socialism across the world, the dysfunctional nature of representative democracy in the U.S., and the global environmental crisis brought about by the capitalist mode of production we exist under.

Adrian Romero, of the Utah Anit War Committee (UAWC) spoke on the horrific realities that immigrants have faced and continue to face in this country.

Karla Galvez,, another member of the UAWC spoke about the origins of May Day and the Haymarket Affair stating that “Truly it was a capitalist’s worst nightmare, people coming together to realize the power in unity.” The speech continued with the recent success in repealing HB 267, a collective bargaining ban cited as one of the most restrictive labor laws in the country, that was brought down as a result of the “dedicated efforts of organizers, activists, and community members.”

A UPS worker and Teamster, spoke on their experience working within a union. They explained the important distinction between a business union and a working-class union, a business union being a type of union that is alienated from the real conditions of workers on the shop floor.

Sebastian Miscenich, an activist and leader in both Freedom Raad Socialist Organization and the UAWC, made a speech recognizing all the important anti-war work carried out by the UAWC since its reestablishment earlier this year.

The feeling among those participating in these May Day events is clear, something is deeply wrong about how society is structured and the only ones capable of carrying out real change are the people themselves.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay

Space Coast, FL – On May 1, over 100 workers, union members and community members rallied at Kiwanis Park to mark International Workers’ Day, featuring a series of speeches by community organizers and union members.

Speakers included members from the Airline Pilots Association (AFL-CIO), the Space Coast Immigrant Rights Alliance and the pro-Palestine community organization Space Coast Progress Hub. Their demands were heard loud and clear: workers over billionaires, taxing the rich, standing with immigrant workers and highlighting the Palestinian struggle.

Caroline Abidin, member of the Space Coast Immigrant Rights Alliance opened her speech by asking the crowd to join her in chanting, “Los inmigrantes son bienvenidos aquí.” Her speech marked the 20th anniversary of May Day 2006, known as A Day Without Immigrants, when millions of people marched nationwide to protest the anti-immigrant bill HR 4437.

Abidin emphasized that because of May Day 2006, HR 4437 never became law, but 20 years later, the fight is not over. The presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), due to Trump’s anti-immigrant and racist policies, continue to cast a long shadow over American communities by disrupting families and generating widespread fear among both immigrant and American citizen residents.

Abidin closed her speech with the Space Coast Immigrant Rights Alliance’s campaign to end the 287(g) agreements with local police departments in Brevard County, stating, “Ending 287(g) is not just about immigration. It is labor strategy. Our labor is our leverage, and our unity is our power. Every worker, regardless of where they were born, deserves dignity, a living wage and the right to come home safe.”

Vance Ahrens, co-founder of the Space Coast Progress Hub, explained how Palestine and the ongoing genocide are central to understanding International Workers’ Day and must not be forgotten.

Ahrens stated, “The Palestinian people are not separate from the global working-class struggle. The same system that exploits workers here arms occupation there. The same ruling class that tells us there is no money for housing, healthcare or schools sends billions to maintain apartheid, siege and war. The same corporations that profit from low wages also profit from weapons, surveillance, checkpoints, prisons and displacements.”

Ahrens told the crowd labor unions around the world have widely adopted the Palestinian cause and have called for union action to halt investment of trade union pension funds in Israel, refuse to handle arms to Israel, and “elevate the American trade union position to the level of the global labor movement.”

Participants concluded the rally by marching across the bridge on the Melbourne Causeway. They carried signs calling for kicking ICE out of Florida, fighting back against billionaires, and removing Trump from office.

#SpaceCoastFL #FL #Labor #ImmigrantsRights #MayDay

Tampa FL- On Friday, May 1, two high schools in the Tampa Bay area participated in the national call put out by the Legalization for All Network to hold May Day walkouts in remembrance of the Day Without Immigrants mega protests held in 2006.The participating high schools were Middleton and Wharton. Both events were supported by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society and the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee. The protests this year called for slogans such as “Ice out now!” and “Legalization for all!” in response to the Trump administration’s continued attacks on immigrant communities across the country.

At the Middleton walkout, two students participated and still drew attention from the high school administration. As said by ZJ Jeudy, a member of the Middleton’s Students for a Democratic Society, “I organized and participated in the walkout because to me, it’s important to not only speak up for what’s right, but to also demonstrate it even if you are the only one doing it.”

Later in the day at Wharton, high school students participated in a rally after school at the corner of the school premises.

“If you go back to the early 2000s or go back to the 70s, students coming out and protesting is a major part of the Vietnam War timeline, that kind of thing. That’s how you organize,” said Nicole Cochrin, a member of Wharton’s Students for a Democratic Society. “Even if the protest itself doesn’t really do much, it’s going to spark more protests. People are going to make more of a change instead of sitting idly hoping someone else does something for them.”

These actions were two of the many held across the country on May Day for the National Day of Action called by the Legalization for All Network and National Students for a Democratic Society.

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #L4A #SDS #ImmigrantRights #Highschool #MayDay

Atlanta, GA – On Saturday, May 2, over 100 community members gathered outside the ICE field office to celebrate International Workers’ Day and demand an end to the deportations.

This action brought together several people’s movements, with the Atlanta Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) leading the charge. Over 20 organizations co-sponsored the event, including Black liberation organizations such as Strike Black and BLM Grassroots and immigrant defense organizations such as Sur Legal Collaborative.

Speeches highlighted that we are almost a year and a half into Trump’s second term, and attacks on all our communities keep escalating. Workers have seen the gutting of the NLRB and OSHA regulations, Black folks have seen major attacks on voting rights and even less accountability for police crimes, and immigrants have seen the brutality of ICE kidnappings and deportations. On top of how the working class suffers in the U.S., we have to foot the bill as the U.S. wages war and exports violence and suffering all over the world.

Gail Sall addressed the crowd about her husband Amary Sall, who was kidnapped by ICE and deported back to Senegal. Sall highlighted the struggle of having her husband stolen from her while she has to continue running the business they used to operate together. She urged attendees to continue organizing and continue the pressure to #BringAmaryHome.

While the community continues the fight for Amary and Gail, hope for a better world is alive and well as Atlanta celebrates the release of Rodney Taylor. Taylor is a beloved barber in the community and a double-amputee who was detained by ICE and threatened to be sent to Liberia, where he was born. Because of the tireless work of the #FreeRodneyTaylor campaign, he was released – perfectly demonstrating the power of getting organized to defend immigrants and workers this May Day.

FRSO member Brandon Pink stated, “Now is not the time to be fatigued or demoralized. Now is the time to resist attacks on the working class, resist attacks on our immigrant brothers and sisters, and get organized. Whether it’s on the shop floor or in the streets – organize. That is the work that is done between these marches and rallies and the other 364 days of the year. The working class has a world to win, and we will never win more than when we are ready to fight!”

#AtlantaGA #GA #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay

Austin, TX – On Friday, May 1, labor unions and activist and student groups took the streets of downtown Austin for International Workers Day. Around 200 protesters marched on the Capitol building chanting and holding signs in support of immigrants and workers’ rights.

Before the march, the Austin Central Labor Council held a tabling fair through the rain, with many union locals, like IBEW and AFSCME, and activist groups, including the Freedom Road Socialist Organization giving out information.

Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Students for International Labor Solidarity, and other student groups led a contingent to the Capitol from the UT Austin campus, demanding that UT cut its ties with a company that provides ICE with vehicles for deportations. The students chanted, “UT stop the lies, cut your ties with Enterprise!”

Daniel Ramirez from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “On May 1, 1886, tens of thousands of workers said ‘enough is enough’ and went out on strike against the bosses and their hired guns. So, when we come out to celebrate the historic workers holiday of May Day, it reminds us that when people are organized, we can land blows against the rotten system we live in. That a better future is possible.”

At the Capitol, SDS talked about the fight against the UT Austin administration as it cut classes and departments that study race and gender. Devon May from SDS talked about how the same Texas government, led by Greg Abbott, that is attacking workers in Texas, is the government that UT admin is bending the knee to.

May said, “Our state government is entirely on the side of the billionaires!” This was met with a flurry of boos and calls of, “Shame,” from the energetic crowd. May ended by highlighting the unity between workers and students, saying “We – the united front of workers and students and immigrants, and everyone else who is tired of living in the shadow of the ruling class – aren’t going to stop until we’ve won everything!”

#AustinTX #TX #StudentMovement #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #SDS

Milwaukee, WI – On a brisk May 1st morning, the Milwaukee community gathered in the thousands to stand up for immigrants’ and workers’ rights. The rally began on the city’s Southside at the Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) office, a leading organization that gathers students, workers, and residents annually to march since 2006. 22 years later, el Día sin Inmigrantes continues to demand justice for workers of all legal status and a path to legalization for all.

The day started with words from student organizers in Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES), urging solidarity and collective action under the second Trump administration. The three-mile march then began with a large coalition carrying banners and pickets, chanting “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportation!”

As marchers arrived at the end point, VDLF director Christine Neumann-Ortiz summed up the theme of this year's demonstration: “Immigrants are not the problem; they are the solution. The problem is the billionaire class.”

The crowd then heard from Kareem Sarsour, the eldest son of Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian and president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. Sarsour was kidnapped over a month ago by ICE and remains in custody for bogus charges because he is a fierce advocate for Palestine. Sarsour assured the crowd that his father, along with his family, remain committed to fighting for a free Palestine and will fight until he is released.

In a fiery speech, the head of the city’s Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), José Ramirez, told the crowd, “Elected officials try to explain to the working class that they understand and know our struggles. They don’t know what it’s like to pour concrete all damn day, to be bent over tying rebar, to wake up early and work a double shift.” Ramirez then pointed to the strength of grassroots organizations and community, calling for continued solidarity among workers beyond May Day because “this is what the clowns and cowards in Madison fear.”

The day’s march wrapped up midday with mariachi, but the festivities continued.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization held a program later that evening at Villa Arco, a community space which also hosts ESL classes for immigrant laborers. Here, FRSO national leader Syd Loving spoke about the erasure of May Day in the U.S. as an international socialist holiday. Loving said, “It sounds lofty and far away, but we [FRSO] fight for the overthrow of capitalism because we see that socialism is a real thing in other countries,” as seen in her recent visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Local FRSO leader Alan Chavoya offered a background on Dia Sin Inmigrantes, highlighting labor and oppressed nationality movements as the key to striking blows against the enemy. Chavoya stated, “In every struggle historically, it’s the working class. That’s where we need to go with the immigrant rights struggle; withholding labor is what shakes the capitalist class.”

To close, Tracey Schwerdtfeger offered her perspective as an emergency room nurse, Milwaukee resident and labor organizer. Her neighborhood has seen the effects of companies like Allis Chalmers, Harley-Davidson, and AO Smith moving plants to other countries, leaving working families to face home foreclosures and healthcare cuts. Now, local hospitals knowingly understaff wards despite the real, proven cost of human life.

Schwerdtfeger then encouraged those attending to get involved and take up the struggle for socialism. “Today is our holiday and our struggle for a better life continues.” She said of the capitalist class, “Their survival depends on our suffering.”

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #FRSO #VDLF

Chicago, IL – Over 8000 people gathered in Union Park on May 1 to celebrate International Workers’ Day and march demanding protection for workers and immigrant rights.

Since May Day last year, Trump sent ICE and Customs and Border Patrol to Chicago for months of terror, with over 3000 members of immigrant communities arrested and taken away. The large contingents marching from immigrant communities in Union Park was a statement of courage.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said during his speech, “We are not going to stop fighting for every single worker and every single working family in this city and in this country and in this world,” and demanded that “we get our fair share of the equitable distribution of the wealth. Are you with me workers?”

Some of the principal organizers of this May Day protest included the Chicago Teacher Union (CTU), Service Employees International Union Health Care Illinois/Indiana, the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA), and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).

CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said, “Workers united with communities, across cultures, across industries, win the fight every time. Do not give up your power to assemble and do not give up your power to organize. Workers over billionaires!”

This year CTU organized to make May Day a day of civic action in Chicago. Together with families, they brought out over 800 high school students to participate in the protest. Hundreds of university students and graduate employees were also in attendance.

Nadia Alyafai spoke at the rally for the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) and CATA. She said, “Our city is home to one of the largest Palestinian communities in the United States, alongside a broader Arab immigrant population that has long been at the frontlines of the immigrant rights and other movements in this city. We were there alongside many of you when we put almost a million people in the streets to defeat the Sensenbrenner bill in 2006, and now 20 years later we still are fighting strong for justice for our communities.”

CATA marched with a banner demanding “Legalization for all. Defend voting rights. Stop all U.S. wars!” They marched together with the immigrant rights contingent organized by ICIRR.

Chicago has played a crucial role in the labor and immigrant rights movements. May Day was born in Chicago, the center of the nationwide1886 strike for the eight-hour workday. The resulting repression of the labor movement led to workers around the world declaring May 1 to be International Workers’ Day. On March 10, 2006, Chicago held the first mega march of the immigrant rights movement. That movement then called for nationwide marches on May 1. Over 2 million immigrants and their supporters took to the streets that day, which also brought May Day back to the labor movement in the U.S.

#ChicagoIL #IL #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #FRSO #CATA #Trump #CTU

Portland, OR – On May 1, protesters gathered downtown for a midday May Day rally held by a coalition of 80-plus unions and non-profit type organizations. This included a march downtown with stops at the Mexican Consulate and an office building that houses the offices of a U.S. senator.

Portland Contra de las Deportaciones (PDXCD) and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) attended this rally, although they were not permitted to endorse due to their demand that the city of Portland “Revoke the Permit” for the Portland ICE facility. PDXCD has been vocal in criticizing the city council and mayor for their lack of action on ICE and thus faced pushback in the movement by organizations aligned with the politicians.

Later, on the evening of May 1, there was a second protest organized by FRSO and PDXCD starting at Elizabeth Caruthers Park near the ICE facility in Portland. The protest was to honor the May Day martyrs who died for workers’ rights and demand an end to the deportations. The protest was attended by approximately 300 people at the park with others joining later at the facility. There were speeches by union members and activists alike. An organizer with PDXCD and ILWU Local 5 member stated, “For as long as our country has existed, the working people have fought back, immigrants have fought back!”

The protest marched to ICE and protesters went into the driveway of the ICE facility. This driveway has frequently become a flashpoint in the past year at Portland ICE protests, with federal agents often setting off teargas and other less than lethal munitions when protesters enter the driveway, which is ungated and next to a frequently used sidewalk in a residential neighborhood.

After legal action and the shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in January, there has been much less chemical agent used at the facility. The last reported teargas use appears to be at a PDXCD protest in early February.

Later that night, at approximately 8:30 p.m., state police and Portland police stormed the driveway of the ICE facility occupied by chanting protesters. Three targeted arrests happened at that time. Oregon State Police and Portland police pushed protesters out of the driveway with batons and pepper spray. Arrests included Cole Dunahugh and Dr. Catherine Esperanza, who were then transported to Multnomah County jail.

After a call-in campaign and a picketing at the jail, Cole was released very early Saturday morning, May 2. A press conference was held on Saturday afternoon to continue to demand the release of Dr. Catherine Esperanza. The call-in campaign and picketing at the jail continued. After this pressure, Dr. Esperanza was released Saturday night even though callers had repeatedly been told she would not be let out till Monday morning.

The Oregon State Patrol and Portland Police Bureau’s aggressive action to guard the driveway raises questions about adherence to sanctuary laws. Oregon has labeled itself a sanctuary state and Portland is labeled a sanctuary city. The spirit of the sanctuary law is broken when state and city police actively participate in guarding the driveway of the immigration facility with detention cells used to hold immigrants and some U.S. citizens. Many of these detainments have included unnecessary violence, including violence with firearms.

Oregon has been a sanctuary state since 1987. The city of Portland codified their sanctuary status in October of 2025. In its May 2 press release, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) stated “PPB does not engage in immigration enforcement as outlined in PPB Directive 810.10, but is still responsible for maintaining public safety and enforcing state laws.”

If Oregon residents want to report that sanctuary law is being broken, they can call the Sanctuary Promise Hotline at 1-844-924-7829.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #Labor #MayDay #PDXCD

Philadelphia, PA – Around 100 people gathered in Love Park on May 1, before joining a rally of thousands organized by the Philadelphia AFL-CIO at City Hall. Among these groups were Philadelphia Anti War (PAW), Philadelphia Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (PAARPR), Anakbayan, Marxist Education Group, Industrial Workers of the World, Workers World Party and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

At the rally, speakers condemned Trump’s actions, U.S. wars, ICE detention and the continued exploitation of workers. A brass band provided entertainment and volunteers offered pretzels and water to those standing in the sun along the crowded John F Kennedy Boulevard.

Around 6 p.m., demonstrators marched northwest, stopping at hotels and other businesses, where union groups demanded higher wages and improved working conditions.

Demonstrators with megaphones led constant chants during this contingent's march. Despite traffic and police flanking the roads, demonstrators showed their commitment to liberation movements with such chants as, “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido,” “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go,” “Luchando, creando poder popular,” “Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, brick by brick, wall by wall” and “La migra, la policia, la misma porquería.”

The revolutionary contingent left the march and went to the offices of Day and Zimmerman, the weapons company that produced the munitions that killed Palestinian child Hind Rajab. Members of these progressive groups stood firm as police gathered at either end of the crowd. There, a speaker denounced the imperial violence of U.S. military contractors. The contingent then rejoined the main march, which ended at 7 p.m.

May 1 is an international holiday. It is important that progressive and socialist movements build internationalism. Since the 19th century, the day has celebrated the working class. The day honors their fight against the capitalist systems and their desire to end the oppression of all peoples.

#PhiladelphiaPA #PA #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #FRSO

Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, May 1, 500 Chicano community members and activists gathered at Mariachi Plaza to rally and march for the 11th annual May Day protest in Boyle Heights. More than 50 different community organizations, unions and local businesses helped put on the event, and were joined by students who walked out of Roosevelt, Garfield and Ed Roybal high schools.

The organizations urged workers fight back, demanding legalization for all, an end to war and police brutality, and to fund public education.

This year’s May Day marks 20 years since the 2006 protests, La Gran Marcha, where millions of immigrants marched against the Sensenbrenner Bill (HR 4437), which aimed to criminalize undocumented immigrants.

“This is the 20-year anniversary to the 2006 mega-marches where Raza and a lot of working class immigrants walked off the job, didn’t go to school and shut the city down by taking the streets in downtown LA,” said Centro CSO immigration co-chair Verita Topete.

The event began with a blessing from Father Brendan from the Dolores Mission church, followed by a rally which included speakers from Centro CSO, Legalization for All, Proyecto Pastoral, About Face, Union De Vecinos, the People’s Care Collective, Immigo and Teamsters Local 396.

Sara Venegas, an Amazon driver who recently unionized with Teamsters Local 396 and then went on an unfair labor practice strike after Amazon retaliated against their union said, “They thought they could kill the fire in our hearts, but they’ve strengthened the flame, and now we’re on a ULP strike. Let’s hold big corporations like Amazon accountable.”

The group took to the streets to march across 1st Street Bridge, chanting “¡Se ve, se siente, el pueblo está presente!” and demands for legalization for all and an end to U.S. wars. As speakers from Black Lives Matter LA and Freedom Road Socialist Organization addressed the crowd, LAPD helicopters hovered above, telling the group to disperse and stop blocking traffic. The police also sent out an Amber Alert to everyone in the area stating that people should avoid the area because an “Unlawful assembly declared.”

Gabriel Quiroz Jr. from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization commented on the ongoing police violence against May Day protests from the Haymarket riots in Chicago, to the streets of Los Angeles today, “The first protest I ever attended was May Day in 2007 at MacArthur Park. I got to see the power of organized Raza. I also got to see political repression by LAPD.”

As the march turned back towards Boyle Heights, speakers from the Palestinian Youth Movement, ILPS, the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, and Gabriela LA spoke on the how U.S. imperialism affects other countries and the need for working and oppressed people of the world to come together to fight back against it.

“The corrupt Philippine government sold out our country to the United States and the imperialists. They are responsible for the displacement and migration of our people. We are here in solidarity with the working class here in Los Angeles and abroad. Many migrate here for better opportunities, promised the American dream and yet they struggle,” said a member of Gabriela LA.

As the sun set over the march, the crowd danced back into Mariachi Plaza. Throughout the program the speakers encouraged the crowd to join an organization to build the fight against Trump and for an even bigger and more united May Day protest next year.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #FRSO #CentroCSO

Bozeman, MT – On Friday, May 1, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) Bozeman and Montana State University's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally in support of workers and immigrants’ rights.

The rally featured FRSO Bozeman member Homa Masood, a spokeswoman from Gallatin County’s Community Rapid Response organization (CRR-GC), and SDS member Evan Minadakis, who spoke to 70 enthusiastic protesters, who held signs that proclaimed, “Immigrants built America” and “Trump is a fraud!” A large banner read “No war, no ICE, no billionaires!”

Masood told the crowd, “May Day isn't just about naming oppression. It's about recognizing power, challenging it, and forcing it back into our hands! Every victory in the history of working people came from organization, solidarity and struggle, and that remains true today!”

CRR-GC's spokeswoman attacked the dangerous 287(g) agreement between Gallatin County and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which allows individuals in Gallatin County’s Detention Center who are eligible for release to be held for an additional 48 hours and ultimately be turned over into ICE custody.

FRSO Bozeman’s Julian Staggs spoke to draw attention to the Gallatin High School walkout held earlier that day. About 50 students walked out of class and gathered outside to protest the nationwide ICE raids of terror unleashed by the federal government against the immigrant communities of the United States and stand in solidarity with those communities.

Evan Minadakis brought forward their SDS chapter's recent victory in kicking Customs and Border Protection out of the university's spring Career Fair, focusing on exemplifying for all that the change created by the organized people may truly move mountains.

“Do not let them convince you that you are weak. do not let them convince you that you have no power,” Minadakis said. “Every single person out here today has the ability to shift the tides, to make waves so massive that they take down any forces that try to stand in their way. Progress isn't something we wish for, it is something we fight for! And until every single corrupt, oppressive billionaire is wiped from this earth, we will continue to fight for progress, and we will continue to win!”

The protest’s final chant was one of “Revolution! Revolution! Revolution! Revolution!” International Worker’s Day is a day for celebration of the worker and the oppressed nationalities of the world, and it is a day to intensify the struggle. Bozeman has begun to walk the road to liberation!

#BozemanMT #MT #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #FRSO #SDS #StudentMovement

New Orleans, LA – On Friday evening, May 1, a crowd of about 50 community members marched from a statue of Benito Juarez to the New Orleans City Hall for International Workers’ Day. Despite the pouring rain and strong winds, the energy was high.

The action was put on by the immigrants’ rights organization Unión Migrante in coalition with several other organizations and unions. The focus of this year’s march was on ending police and ICE collaboration, defending labor rights, and legalization for all.

Protesters chanted slogans such as “¡No somos criminales, somos esenciales!” (“We're not criminals, we’re essential!”); “¡Chinga la migra!” (“Fuck ICE”); and “Money for jobs and education, not for mass deportation!”

New Orleans has long been a center for ICE operations, with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Southern field office – formerly located in the heart of its Central Business District. In February of this year, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno told reporters that the New Orleans Police Department would not sign a formal cooperation agreement with ICE, but they would still “follow the law.” Under Louisiana Act 399, it is illegal for law enforcement to not alert ICE if they released someone who “either illegally entered or unlawfully remained in the United States.”

“It’s not that he [Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry] doesn’t like immigrants, he loves immigrants when it comes to his wallet,” said Alfredo Salazar, a member of Unión Migrante and a first generation Mexican immigrant. “He sends us to be locked up in private prisons that enrich themselves on human suffering.”

After hearing speeches from immigrant speakers about fighting back against Trump’s racist ICE attacks, the determined crowd took the street and marched to City Hall to hear from unions and their struggles against their bosses for better working conditions. Tulane Workers United celebrated their first tentative agreement with Tulane University after 2 years of negotiations. Nurses United members at University Medical Center kicked off a 5-day strike to pressure admin to sign their contract.

“The bankruptcy of this capitalist system has demonstrated itself again and again. The enemy is getting weaker, and we are getting stronger,” said Cristine Farah of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Closing out the program, she added, “The future is bright, we just have to take it!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay #FRSO

New York City, NY – Thousands of workers and their families and supporters rallied in New York City to celebrate and honor International Workers’ Day on May 1, marching through downtown Manhattan from Washington Square Park to Foley Square. The May Day rally was called by the NYC Central Labor Council, which represents among many unions, the Laborers International Union Local 78, UAW CFU and ALAA, HTC (Hotel, Gaming, and Trades Counsel), IATSE and SEIU/32BJ.

The labor unions participating in the march highlighted workplace issues under Trump, including direct attacks on organized labor, and the use of ICE agents to terrorize workers and their families. One large contingent in the march was led by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, whose members carried large banners that read “Revive the strike!” and “ICE out of everywhere!”

Notable labor groups participating also included the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) caucus of the UFT and members of Teamsters for a Democratic Union.

Jacob Muldoon, a member of TDU and Teamsters Local 804 said, “I’m here with FRSO at the May Day Rally at Washington Square Park. I’m a proud union member with the Teamsters and we’re to celebrate International Workers’ Day and to say happy May Day! We need to fight for workers’ rights, fight for ICE out of our communities, and fight for a better world.”

Lee Dynes, a member of FRSO and teacher with the MORE caucus of UFT added: “it’s amazing to see so many unionists and activists come out in solidarity with the working class and with oppressed peoples all over the world. International Workers Day is a wonderful opportunity for us unionized workers to build solidarity with the other peoples’ movements, and with each other.”

Community organizations also showed up, including Brooklyn Against War (BAW), a local group fighting to free Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, and to end U.S. aggression.

BAW member Collin Poirot explained, “We are here today because we know that the wars and aggression against Iran, Venezuela, Palestine and so many other countries have no benefit to the workers here. The strike on Venezuela to illegally kidnap President Maduro cost $3 billion, and the war on Iran has cost $35 billion. Those dollars spent bombing and oppressing workers in other countries should have been used to support working class families right here in the United States.”

Chants included “They’ve got the money, we’ve got the might! Shut it down, revive the strike!” alongside calls for “ICE out!” and “Money for jobs and education, not for wars and deportations!”

New Yorkers interested in joining the labor movement should attend FRSO NYC’s General Meeting on May 9, which will focus on the topic of “Reviving the Strike: The Task of Socialists in the Labor Movement”. The meeting is open to the public, and the registration link can be found on the @frsonyc Instagram page.

#NewYorkCityNY #NY #Labor #ImmigrantRights #MayDay