Denver, CO – In the afternoon on October 6, more than 30 people, led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the protest band Notes of Dissent, rallied and picketed outside the Tivoli Student Union building on Auraria Campus.

After over a year of campaigning for a sanctuary campus and a ban on ICE on campus, the Auraria Board of Directors still refuses to listen to the student body’s concerns about immigrant student safety if ICE were to come onto Auraria campus. While the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board initially collaborated with Denver SDS on drafting a popular policy, Policy 7.7, to ban ICE from Auraria, they backpedaled and decided to no longer support the modified Policy 7.7, which would have banned ICE from being anywhere on campus.

“Thus far, the Auraria administration has taken the cowardly approach,” said Meadow Dunne, a faculty member of the Community College of Denver (CCD) located on the Auraria campus. “They refuse to stand up for what is right. I am calling for the administration to immediately pass and enforce an anti-ICE policy here on campus. None of us deserve to live in fear.”

Despite the board of directors’ and the student advisory committee’s resistance to protections for the student body, Denver SDS is not backing down. On September 16, they marched inside the Tivoli Student Union building up to the Auraria Higher Education Center offices and chanted outside their door for almost an hour before being forced to leave by the Auraria Campus Police Department.

Two weeks later, on September 29, Denver SDS hung banners on the Tivoli’s third floor safety railings displaying a “Wanted” list of faces for Auraria administrators.

And a week later, SDS was joined by Notes of Dissent, a protest marching band, which played songs while the crowd chanted, “Say it once, say it twice! We do not fuck with ICE!” and “We want justice, you say how? ICE out of Denver now!”

“Denver SDS has been working hard on this campaign for over a year, and we still haven’t gotten our demands met!” stated Mel Medina, a member of Denver SDS. “They keep on trying to ignore us, but we keep on getting louder, bolder. The students are the backbone of this campus, and, if it weren’t for us, [administration] wouldn’t be here. So today we are going to make them hear us, whether they like it or not!”

On-campus support for Denver SDS’ campaign to ban ICE on Auraria is growing with each protest.

#DenverCO #CO #Auraria #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE #SanctuaryCampus

Minneapolis, MN – On October 5, over 100 immigrant rights activists lined Lake Street in Minneapolis with signs demanding “ICE out!” and “Sanctuary state now!” Protesters chanted in support of immigrant rights as they lined a predominantly immigrant-owned business corridor of the city.

The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and Asamblea de los Derechos Civiles called the rally in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s message on X stating that “ICE has initiated a nationwide public safety surge in sanctuary cities where our brave officers will be targeting criminal illegal aliens.”

The protest was met with supportive honks by passing cars and community members and families coming out of local businesses to join in on chants of “Aquí estamos! Y no nos vamos!”

Organizers condemned ICE violence and sent a message to the Trump administration that Minnesotans will always be ready to protect their immigrant neighbors and fight back against ICE. Speakers demanded immediate action from state leaders to protect Minnesota immigrants after the announcement of this looming surge.

A member of Asamblea de los Derechos Civiles responded to the looming attacks from DHS by calling on Minnesotans to stand up for immigrant rights. He said, “As people here in Minnesota and everyway here in the United States, we have to fight for the liberty of all!”

The Minnesota legislature failed to pass the North STAR Act in 2024, before Trump took office, and again (as the STAR Act) in 2025, after watching Minnesotans suffer the terror of the Metro Surge invasion. During Metro Surge, Governor Tim Walz did nothing to protect or support immigrants. These failures and inaction keep harming Minnesota immigrants. The only thing that became clear after Metro Surge is that state leaders will do nothing without immense pressure.

MIRAC has continued to pressure Governor Walz to take executive action and ensure that Minnesota is prepared for another onslaught of federal terror. Protesters called for to Walz issue a sanctuary state executive order that would ban 287(g) agreements and any type of collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, keep ICE out of sensitive locations and off state property, outlaw secret police, and more.

Montana Hirsch, of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, said, “The path forward is clear: we need a sanctuary state for immigrants in Minnesota. Rather than allow DHS to use threats on sanctuary cities as a source of fear, we must fight harder than ever to adopt life-saving legislation to keep ICE out of Minnesota. We must make it clear today and always that Minnesotans will not back down from a fight.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #ICE #MIRAC #TimWalz

Tacoma, WA – More than 250 community members attended a seven-hour protest on Sunday, October 4, on the east side of Tacoma, where heightened ICE presence has terrorized the immigrant community. Organizations including the Puyallup Tribe, the Brown Berets, and Pierce County Immigration Alliance came to support members of the community who had called for a vocal presence rejecting immigration terror and defending the neighborhood from surging ICE patrols.

Many recent abductions have taken place on 72nd street, a major Tacoma arterial lined by taquerias, panaderias and street vendors. In the last week, marked ICE vehicles also started cruising through a shopping plaza parking lot and harassing the workers inside.

Public calls for a demonstration were met by the community, with organizers arriving on the scene as early as 7 a.m. to prepare. Within an hour, a crowd of nearly 100 had formed to wave signs, chant, and put a stop to ICE terror against the community. “My people don’t deserve to live in fear,” said one protester, Gabby Bernal-Amaral, about why she had decided to join the event.

“I have the privilege to speak up for my community,” shared Leanna Esquivel, another attendee. “I want to see a complete overhaul of all the systems that harm the human race. Oppressive systems, racism, xenophobia, have no place here!”

As attendees chanted rounds of “Chinga la migra” and “No están solos,” reports rolled in that several known ICE vehicles were headed towards the plaza. The community sprang into action. As ICE came into sight, the rallygoers blocked the road into the strip mall and yelled for ICE out. Surrounded by the people and outnumbered 40 to 1, one ICE van was forced to reverse back into the street, and two unmarked ICE cars were similarly identified and forced out. Two repeat attempts by ICE to come into the plaza were similarly pushed back, with undaunted protesters chasing down and surrounding the ICE vehicles until they retreated.

The rally continued into the afternoon, with music, food, and an outpouring of community support. Tamales, coffee, pizzas and pastries were brought in by neighbors and the workers of businesses surrounding the rally. The crowd remained steady at roughly 100 attendees throughout the event, with new people consistently arriving to support as others left for work, church, or to take care of children – and passing off their signs to the folks joining in. Over 500 commuters joined the demonstration, honking horns, hanging out of car windows and sunroofs, and raising fists in support of “ICE out!”

“The rally today was a big step in our community’s fight against immigration terror,” said Edgar Alvarez, an organizer with Pierce County Immigration Alliance. “We’ve been canvassing this area and our allies have been patrolling here for months because we know this is a hotspot for ICE’s terrorism, and today the community put their foot down and declared they’ve had enough of the state’s unwarranted violence.”

And this mobilization was just the beginning. Community members are planning to demonstrate again and continue the fight to push ICE out of Tacoma.

“Through actions like this, the community is rapidly learning to fight back,” Edgar continued. “I’m confident that the activists and community members involved will capitalize on this moment. We keep us safe from the thugs that have been plaguing our streets.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Portland, OR – On the evening of Friday, September 25, immigrant rights activists gathered outside Gateway Discovery Park to demand killer ICE off our streets and justice for victims of ICE. This rally was in response to Legalization for All's national call to action for the recent ICE shooting of Wilber Garces Perez in Austin, Texas.

Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) organized the rally, and members of the immigrant rights organization held signs honoring lives lost by ICE. Local community members joined the mobilization and shared their anger with ICE terror. The demands “Killer ICE off our streets” and “Justice for Wilber” were echoed by those present.

PDXCD members gave short statements on how the recent uptick in ICE shootings informs their organizing. “We must keep demanding that Portland city government take action to shut down the Portland ICE facility before another life is lost,” said Beatriz Ibarra, referring to PDXCD’s campaign to revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility.

Portland also experienced an ICE shooting in January 2026, when two Venezuelan asylum seekers were shot at near 148th and Burnside. Like Garces Perz in Texas, the victim of the Portland shooting, Luis Niño-Moncada, was charged with assault. That case is ongoing, as the defense attorney for the victims say agents attempted to tamper with evidence.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #WilberPerez #ICE #PDXCD

Seattle, WA – On September 26, around 20 Seattle and South King County residents gathered in the White Center neighborhood to protest the ICE shooting of Wilber Perez, and recent local abductions in the area. The group, organized by King County Immigrant Rights Alliance (KCIRA), marched through the town’s main street, stopping at each of the sites where locals were kidnapped by ICE.

The marching route was unexpectedly diverted when ICE kidnapped someone right around the corner from the demonstration. Marchers hurried to the site. They arrived mere minutes after a man named Ivan was stolen away, finding only his empty car and several locals who were gathered in the parking lot, shouting angrily about what they’d just witnessed.

“It was no more than about ten minutes ago that I came here,” said Flor Chicana, a local musician and activist who happened to be nearby when ICE agents set upon the man’s car. “It was a man named Ivan – he was being taken away and he was calm, he didn’t want anything to happen. He wanted to make sure that he could at least just be alive!”

The kidnapping took place cross the street from another abduction site, a local laundromat staffed and visited primarily by Chicanos in the area. The group stopped to chant outside and listen to a speech by Indira Trejocordova of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, while members of KCIRA went into the laundromat to speak with the employees and community members who witnessed the recent abduction.

“We have been coming out time and time again,” said Joseph Ostheller of KCIRA. “It might feel like nothing is changing. ICE activity has even increased! But change comes from consistent effort, and we already see the cracks showing! Take heart, we are still out here, still resisting. A better world is possible, and together we are unstoppable!”

#SeattleWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KCIRA #WilberPerez

Chicago, IL – On Wednesday, September 23, hundreds of people gathered at the Rafael Cintrón Ortiz Latino Cultural Center (LCC) at the University of Illinois at Chicago to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the cultural center. Founded on September 19, 1976, the LCC was the first cultural center at UIC and was named after a Puerto Rican professor, Rafael Cintrón Ortiz, who supported the just struggles of the student activists in the 1970s.

Just a few hours before the event began, Mexican Students de Aztlán (MeSA) led hundreds of students in successfully preventing the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol from attending a career fair hosted by UIC. Student activists, university faculty and staff, and community members filled the LCC. People socialized and shared food, listened to speeches from professors, alumni and cultural center staff, and ended the night by dancing to music by Chicago DJ duo TRQPiTECA and local student band Grupo Tercero. Months of work by cultural center staff, student interns and countless others made this lively celebration possible. Attendees remarked how emotional and empowered the event made them feel, and rightfully so.

Donald Trump’s racist and reactionary administration has come down hard on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in higher education. At many universities across the country, cultural centers have been downright closed or “consolidated,” that is, effectively shut down. To make matters worse, these decisions are often made by racist campus administrators without any warning to the staff and interns at said cultural centers, leaving them jobless. Such is the situation at Louisiana State University, for instance. But it would be a mistake to believe that these attacks on DEI are limited to places like the Black Belt South or Aztlán, where the national liberation struggles of the African-American and Chicano peoples for self-determination are respectively rooted.

In the Midwest, and in Black and brown working-class cities like Chicago, there have also been attacks on DEI. At universities like UIC, there is a long history of struggles for full equality for oppressed nationalities. The oppressed students and youth here have waged historic fights for recruitment programs, ethnic studies departments and cultural centers. And to this day, the struggle for full equality rages on. Student activist groups such as New Students for a Democratic Society at UIC have been waging a struggle to defend and increase funding for the cultural centers on campus, successfully reversing a budget cut proposed by the university administration in 2025.

Jorge Mena Robles, a former student activist with the Immigrant Youth Justice League at UIC and current associate director of the LCC, took the stage. Mena Robles introduced the keynote speaker for the nighttime celebration, Dr. Lilia Fernandez.

Dr. Fernandez is a professor and director of Graduate Studies at UIC in the Department of History. She is a historian of the 20th-century United States and author of the seminal work Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago, and perhaps the best professor I’ve ever had at UIC. For this reason, I have received her permission to quote her at length in an attempt to highlight what I believe are some of the most important points that she raised during her keynote speech, which I believe highlight the historical significance of the LCC’s 50th anniversary.

“I'd like to start by acknowledging the many student activists who were here in the early 1970s, especially in 1973, who protested, occupied university hall, made demands for greater access to this university, and otherwise registered their dissent over how this institution explicitly excluded Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans and other students of color. They acted with courage and commitment at great risk to their personal well-being and their educational careers, and it's because of them that we are here today,” said Dr. Fernandez.

Fernandez continued, “Let me provide some further historical context about when the RCOLCC was first opened in 1976. The year before, the United States had finally abandoned the Vietnam War, after it had claimed the lives of so many of our community's young men. The Sears Tower, and in my book it will always be The Sears Tower, was shining anew, having only been built just three years prior. And to bring this closer to home, to make this more personal, I was just a preschooler at El Hogar Del Niño Daycare Center in Pilsen, for any of you who know it. A culturally conscious community institution that provided childcare for the neighborhood's working mothers. El Hogar Del Niño, just like El Centro De La Causa, Casa Aztlán, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, this cultural center, and so much else that we've enjoyed in our communities for decades, was the fruit of so much activist labor.”

Fernandez highlighted how much the university has changed in the past 50 years: “UIC was a very different place 50 years ago. Latino students were very few in number. They found themselves in a sea of predominantly white students, many of whom we should note, traced their own roots to working-class and immigrant families. But few of those white classmates came from the same neighborhoods or high schools, or shared the same cultural practices or traditions as Latino students. Back then, Latinos could experience outright hostility and antagonism for their mere presence here at Circle, as it was known. Not only from academics, who argued that minority students were intellectually inferior, but from others who thought that Latinos did not deserve access to higher education. A lot has changed in the past 50 years. Today, whether the university celebrates it or not, UIC is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution.”

In reviewing UIC’s latest demographic statistics, Dr. Fernandez reminded Latino students of the power they hold at the university. She said, “In fall 2025, Latinos made up 36% of all UIC undergraduates, 42% of all incoming first-years, and 30% of all students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs combined. Think about how far we've come in the last 50 years. Fifty years ago Latinos were less than 2% of students here. Today they are the largest ethnic group in this richly diverse, multi-racial community. And unlike days past, where the cultural center was the only refuge where Latino students might find one another, besides a dining hall table I've heard of in the student center back in the day. Today Latino students are visible everywhere on this campus. In fact, this university depends on Latino students. If all of them suddenly decided collectively to withdraw their tuition payments, their financial aid checks, their course registrations… If that were to happen, this university would face a major crisis.”

Dr. Fernandez also explained that many students and youth are dealing with intense “individualism, alienation, and isolation” and that cultural centers such as the LCC can help provide an antidote to these ills and serve as places “to build community, to come together, to learn from one another, face-to-face.” She reflected on the challenging times that we live in under Trump’s racist and reactionary administration, the need to oppose U.S. wars in Asia, Africa and the Americas, and the extreme wealth inequality in this country brought on by the accelerated decline of monopoly capitalism, referring to the times we live in as “The Gilded Age on steroids.”

Then, Dr. Fernandez posed important questions about the historical and contemporary visibility of Latinos in U.S. society. She said, “When people think about our contributions to this country, to this city, we are often celebrated for our arts and culture. That is wonderful. But I want to urge us to think about our culture critically. We're recognized for our colorful fiestas, our celebrations, and there's nothing inherently wrong with being artists or cultural workers. But what I see problematic is when we are reduced and restricted to only those roles. When we are seen strictly through that lens, as festive, happy people, performers, or entertainers, for an audience, perhaps. Then, I think we have a problem. Pigeonholing us in that way diminishes our whole humanity. What about our social, political, and economic contributions? For the enduring campaigns we've fought? For the blood, sweat, and tears we have shed?”

Finally, Dr. Fernandez ended her speech by speaking directly to the youth in attendance and saying, “I'm passionate about lifting up and highlighting our many forms of labor to claim our rightful place in this society, and I'm going to use my authority here as a professor right now to give you all some homework, students in particular, a challenge, perhaps.”

“Whenever you come to campus, I want you to ask yourselves: What are we doing here to advance justice? To bring about meaningful social-political change? To promote collective freedom? I encourage you to think about the LCC as a site of historical struggle, and a place to build on the legacy of those students and community members who fought for us to be able to enjoy it today. So I leave you with these two last questions: What will our legacy be? And how will we be remembered in 50 years? Thank you.”

Ángel Naranjos is a fourth-year student at UIC, a Latin American and Latino Studies major, and a leader of MeSA’s Education, Resistance, and Activism Committee.

#ChicagoIL #IL #OppressedNationalities #Commentary #Chicano #Latino #ImmigrantRights #ICE #UIC

Grand Rapids, MI – On the evening of Thursday, September 24, a group gathered for a vigil on Century Avenue at the site where Mario David Coronado Juarez lost his life in a fatal car crash just days before.

Moments before the crash, federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped Mario’s vehicle on the side of the road. Coronado Juarez sped away from the agents, which led to the crash that took his life. Mario’s death comes just two days after Wilber Rafael Garcés Perez was shot in the back by ICE agents in Austin, Texas.

Present at this vigil were community members, local activists, politicians and Coronado Juarez’s own family, who were grieving the loss of their loved one. In his memory and honor, attendees prayed and sang. Chants echoed throughout the crowd: “Justicia para Mario.”

Helping to organize the vigil were members from the non-profit organization Movimiento Cosecha, an immigrant rights group which has been fighting for the establishment of sanctuary policies in Grand Rapids. An organizer with Movimiento Cosecha, Gema Lowe, called for attendees to support Mario’s family during this incredibly difficult time.

Lowe further demanded justice for Mario and for the immigrant community who have suffered the pain and brutality inflicted on them by ICE. She told the crowd, “We should be able to walk without fear. We want all agents responsible to be brought to justice.”

As the vigil continued into the night and the sun set on attendees, the Grand Rapids community remained in solidarity to remember the life of a man who was taken from them by ICE’s terror.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #ImmigrantRights #ICE #MarioDavidoCoronadoJuarez #OppressedNationalities #Feature

Tampa, FL – On September 17, community members spoke at a Tampa City Council meeting to demand that Tampa city council pass an ordinance to end their city’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In February 2025, Tampa Police Department signed onto the 287(g) agreement which allows it to carry out the duties of ICE agents.

Since Trump’s second term, ICE arrests in Florida have more than tripled. ICE arrests in Florida account for 10% of all ICE arrests in the country, placing Florida second to Texas in ICE arrests. In Tampa, these arrests occur in predominantly immigrant and Latino neighborhoods. Local law enforcement, through the 287(g) agreement, is often seen partaking in these arrests.

“Immigration enforcement surges like this leave people hiding out of fear in their own communities,” Nico Baisley, a member of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee (Tampa IRC) said during public comment. “People miss work, children miss school.”

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ICE #287g #TPD

Chicago IL – Over 150 students, faculty and community mobilized at the University of Illinois at Chicago Quad on Wednesday, September 23, to protest the UIC administration for inviting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to recruit at the Business Career Fair and to demand that UIC declare itself a sanctuary campus.

The protest, organized by Mexican Students de Aztlán (MeSA) with the support of multiple campus organizations, forced CBP to quietly withdraw from the event.

The action came after students received Handshake (a university jobs board) notifications inviting them to meet with border patrol recruiters at the career fair.

MeSA issued a call for the UIC community to demand that Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda, the UIC administration and the College of Business revoke the invitation and make a public statement to the community. Within hours, the administration shut down phone lines as students, staff and community members flooded the chancellor's office with calls and emails. CBP announced it would not attend, but the administration refused to formally revoke the invitation.

MeSA speakers made it very clear that CBP's backing out from the event was a victory won by student organizing. And that the administration is at fault for it.

“The only reason those pigs aren't here right now is because of our efforts, your efforts,” said Lupe Lara Guzman, a co-lead of MeSA's ERA Committee.

Guzman continued, “Chancellor Miranda was perfectly fine with their attendance as long as they followed proper guidelines. Chancellor Miranda: was CBP following proper guidelines when they murdered Silverio Villegas González last September? Or when they abducted two women off of our campus last October? Have they been following proper guidelines as they continue to terrorize our communities every single day? You cannot hide behind protocol, Chancellor Miranda. Your neutrality and silence is complicity. More than that, it is disgusting, morally abhorrent, and shameful.”

Kalin Daniel of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) told the crowd, “The harm was done the moment that invitation was sent. The fact that CBP declined does not erase the fact that UIC administration wanted them here. It does not erase the fact that they viewed an agency of state violence as a 'suitable employer' for our students.”

Kayla Nguyen, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “As a rapid responder myself, I see the on-the-ground impacts of these racists on Chicago's streets every day.”

Nguyen continued, “We see CPD allowing ICE to stage in the 17th District police department parking lot. We see CPD racially profiling and targeting Mexican families celebrating Independence Day. We see them handing snacks and water to ICE and CBP at Broadview. This system is fucking broken, and we fucking know it. This an empire in decline. Donald Trump and his racist capitalist cronies are just a symptom of it!”

Karime Beltran, another co-lead of MeSA's ERA Committee, stated, “As a Mexican American student, it is deeply disturbing to see UIC prioritize an employer relationship over the safety, dignity, and sense of belonging of its own students. We are demanding more than statements. We are demanding action. UIC should take meaningful steps toward becoming a sanctuary campus, including cutting institutional ties with CBP and ICE and prioritizing the safety and well-being of the students who call this university home.”

The protest was organized by MeSA in response to UIC's invitation to CBP and the administration's refusal to formally rescind it. The action builds on the prior organizing work of MeSA's sanctuary campus campaign, which has demanded that UIC cut ties with immigration enforcement agencies and invest in protections for undocumented students. The ever-increasing demand for a sanctuary campus comes after a federal court struck down the Acevedo Act, Illinois DREAM Act, and Illinois RISE Act in July 2026, severely restricting educational access for undocumented students in Illinois. It also follows the abduction of two women by immigration agents on UIC's campus during Operation Midway Blitz last October.

Endorsing organizations for the September 23 rally included Students for a Democratic Society at UIC, Anakbayan at UIC, Fearless Undocumented Alliance, Jewish Student Collective at UIC, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Sanctuary For All.

Organizers called on people to join organizations and continue the fight for a sanctuary campus and to hold the administration accountable.

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #MESA #UIC #CBP #ICE #Chicano #OppressedNationalities

Saint Paul, MN – Dozens gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday, September 22 to unveil the MN Stolen Neighbors Quilt. More than 150 people labored over six months to sew together 12,500 quilt squares – each square representing a Minnesota immigrant taken by ICE from the start of the second Trump term to the end of Operation Metro Surge.

The organizers behind the MN Stolen Neighbors Quilt Project were joined by Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and 50 community members in the capitol rotunda, where the quilt was unfurled. There was a moment of silence as the weight of the quilt and the lives it symbolized were impressed upon the crowd.

Then, the quilt was carried outside and overlaid on the steps of the State Capitol Mall, where it served as a solemn backdrop for the speeches during the “No More Stolen Neighbors” rally.

The first speaker was one of the organizers of the MN Stolen Neighbors Quilt Project and a member of MIRAC, Owen Lubozynski. He explained how the hidden violence of post-Surge DHS activity motivated him to create the Stolen Neighbors Quilt Project, launched in April with assistance from fellow Twin Cities activist Melissa Greene.

He also remarked on the extent of the community effort that went into the project. Neighbors across the country contributed portions of the quilt. Local sewing shops, including Lakes Makerie, Knit and Bolt, and the Sewing Lounge donated fabric; the Textile Center served as a hub for volunteer sewers, and Art Buddies collaborated with the middle schoolers of Whittier Elementary School to illustrate more than 100 squares of the quilt.

The outpouring of support from the community was such that they overshot the initial goal of 11,000 squares, meant to represent the roughly 11,000 Minnesotan immigrants that were kidnapped by ICE between the beginning of Trump’s second term and the end of Operation Metro Surge. In total, more than 150 people have contributed to the effort. The finished quilt is approximately nine feet wide by 33 feet long.

Owen states, “We weren’t considering what happens when you ask Minnesotans for a favor, so the quilt here today actually contains 12,500 squares. Which is amazing. Unfortunately, it is reflective of what has been happening here over the past several months. Since March, ICE has abducted more than 900 Minnesotans and counting.”

Owen explained how the majority of these arrests that have largely gone unnoticed are due to 287(g) agreements between local agencies and DHS.

Banning collaboration between local agencies and ICE is the first item on MIRAC’s list of demands in its “Sanctuary State Now” campaign, focused on pressuring the governor to sign an executive order that would also protect sensitive locations from ICE, ban secret police, defend protestors against political repression, provide justice for victims of ICE terror, and implement a statewide eviction moratorium. The campaign promotes policies that provide true safety and justice, rather than a superficial peace that disguises streamlined persecution.

Alissa Washington, the executive director of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-sentenced Families Council and member of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, mentioned how ICE kidnapped a member of her own family during the summer, many months after the supposed end of Operation Metro Surge.

Washington stated, “My 72-year-old uncle, Nonh Noradeth, had lived in this country for more than 40 years. ICE detained him here in Minnesota, transferred him all the way to Louisiana, and ultimately deported him to Laos. He left behind his wife and four children. And for a period of time, I became the guardian of those four children while our family tried to survive what had been done to us.”

Gabby Hobart, a rank-and-file member of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators and a bilingual educator, shared how one day, she received news of an abducted student and had to console his grieving mother.

Hobart stated, “To this day, I think of him, as he loved math and lit up every classroom. He was denied the joy of walking alongside his classmates during graduation. My story is just one among many. Educators across the city were on the front lines of responding to the federal occupation of our city, all the while our elected officials stood by and watched these terrors and horrors happen.”

Grace Gamble, is a member of Hands Off Latin America, affiliated with Women Against Military Madness. She explained how the U.S. creates the conditions for migration that the U.S. tries to violently suppress. From her visit to Cuba a month ago, she shared a firsthand account of how the U.S.’s fuel blockade on Cuba has been affecting the country.

The last two speakers expressed the importance of standing up for immigrants at home and those fighting against imperialism abroad, no matter your age or immigrant background.

Anna Madison, a member of Families Against Military Mayhem and Eyes Off Saint Paul, declared, pointed out how the Walz administration has been dragging its feet on enacting protections for immigrants and their allies, even as they’re being targeted by the federal government.

Jesus García, a member of Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, shared that he “was undocumented for 25 years here in this nation, all the time working and contributing, because although one works without documents, one pays taxes. One contributes to the nation. Fortunately, thanks to God, last year I became an American citizen. For that reason I come to raise my voice for those who cannot. For those who are still under the shadows.”

At the end of the rally, participants gathered on the steps beside the quilt, chanting, “When immigrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” In this way, they demonstrated the core intention of the quilt.

The organizers of the MN Stolen Neighbors Quilt Project can be contacted at mnquiltproject@gmail.com.

#StPaulMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #ICE #MIRAC #Deportations

Dallas, TX – On September 21, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – Dallas (NAARPR-Dallas) and the Dallas Against the Trump Agenda Coalition held a protest outside the Dallas ICE field office in response to the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Pérez, a Venezuelan immigrant by an ICE agent in Austin.

Lili Monge, a member of NAARPR-Dallas, spoke at the rally, saying, “First it was Houston, then it was Austin; it’s only a matter of time before it happens in Dallas. We need to demand city council pass resolutions to hold an independent investigation into these shootings and killings. No one in Congress or any governmental body is holding them accountable. We don’t feel safe around ICE. We need to keep pushing back to regain the civil rights that we've lost.”

40 people gathered to make their voices heard and held signs denouncing ICE killings. Members of different organizations attended the rally, including Freedom Road Socialist Organization and DFW-Anti War Committee.

Chants rang out such as, “Legalization for all” and “Killer ICE off our streets!”

#DallasTX #TX #ImmigrantRights #ICE #WilberRafaelGarcesPerez #NAARPRDallas #OppressedNationalities

Austin, TX – Around 200 people protested outside the Texas Capitol on Monday evening, September 21, to demand justice for a Venezuelan man, Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, who was shot by ICE and left in critical condition in Austin on Sunday.

After several rounds of energetic chants from the crowd, Selena Jurado of La Frontera Unida gave a speech. Jurado explained that within hours of the shooting, ICE took Garcés Pérez into custody, stating, “They denied his lawyer access. They denied his wife access to her husband. This is modern-day terrorism.”

Jurado continued, “La Frontera Unida raises these three demands. Primero, Wilber must be released from ICE custody immediately. Segundo, the ICE agent who shot him must be arrested and prosecuted. Tercero, there must be a real independent investigation. La Frontera Unida is not interested in another federal cover-up!”

Jesse Valdelamar, the emcee of the rally, said, “We will never support ‘reforming’ ICE into a more humane version of itself. As long as there exists a permanent body of second-class citizens, there will always be immigration enforcement, and there will always be la migra. This is why La Frontera Unida supports legalization for all as the real solution to the immigration question!”

Cynthia Treviño, another member of La Frontera Unida, spoke on the coming expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Salvadorians. She said, “The expiration of TPS for Salvadoreños is setting the stage for hundreds of thousands of our raza to suffer the same fate as Wilber. As a Chicana, I understand this history intimately. My ancestors didn't cross the border, the border crossed us. The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo promised my people property rights, language rights, cultural rights. What we got instead was centuries of violence and displacement.”

Treviño continued, “Terrorism is what awaits those who do not stand up and fight back. Today's immigrants, whether from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela, face the same terror. And just like my ancestors, they are fighting back.”

Sofie Gomez of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) urged, “When people migrate here, they are uprooting their whole lives out of desperation, but they live here in the states as second-class citizens, continuing to be exploited as cheap labor. This is the U.S. capitalist machine’s playbook. That’s why we need a new system, socialism, where we can actually address immigration rather than exploit those who immigrate here. Legalization for all is the way forward!”

#AustinTX #TX #ImmigrantRights #ICE #OppressedNationalities #TPS #Venezuela #Shooting #WilberRafaelGarcesPerez #Feature

Orlando, FL – Despite poor weather, on Wednesday, September 9, 40 University of Central Florida students gathered to march on Millican Hall and demand an end to the school’s 287(g) agreement.

The rally was organized by UCF Students for a Democratic Society, Young Democratic Socialists of America, and Sunrise Movement.

Last semester, UCF SDS leaders met with members of administration, including Vice President of Student Success and Well-Being Adrienne Frame and Andrea Guzmán, the vice president for Access and Community Engagement in UCF Global. During the meeting, the members of administration repeatedly dismissed student demands and ignored student recommendations, essentially asserting that federal agents should be allowed to do whatever they please on campus.

Angie Orengo, the president of UCF Sunrise Movement, told the crowd, “Florida was the blueprint. They started here so that they could practice, learn, and perfect the craft of kidnapping people, so that they could do it all over our country. UCF is a part of the many schools in our nation that have signed the 287(g) agreement allowing UCF PD to partner with Homeland Security and deputize our UCF PD officers to allow them to detain international students.”

Grisha Glozman, the president of UCF SDS, spoke on how UCF administration chooses to side with the Trump administration rather its their own students. “These murders, these acts of terror against our communities, must serve as constant reminders of what we’re fighting against. But as these atrocities continue to fester, the UCF administration has continued to dig its heels into the dirt.”

Glozman continued, “Every time you see someone like President Cartwright, remember that he will help ICE however he can to hunt our neighbors down. This administration is not our friend, they’ve shown that very clearly.”

Pablo Valenzuela of UCF YDSA highlighted the hypocrisy of UCF administration, stating, “To those who oppose us claiming to be champions of legality and justice, they themselves are the truest hypocrites of all! For what is more illegal than the destruction of human dignity that they have brought upon us. What is more illegal that using the tuition we pay to kill children in Palestine or rounding up people in cages, destroying their dignity!”

After the speeches, the student protesters marched through market day and ended the rally at Memory Mall, chanting, “Admin admin you can’t hide, stop supporting ICE’s crimes” and “Dare to struggle, dare to win!”

#OrlandoFL #FL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE #UCF #287g

Minneapolis, MN – El 30 de agosto, T-Mobile y AT&T divulgaron que habían enviado los registros telefónicos de varios activistas de las Ciudades Gemelas a ICE y agentes de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional después de recibir una citación presentada por Seguridad Nacional en abril 12, 2026. Estos incluían los datos de telecomunicaciones de Jess Sundin, Steff Yorek y otros activistas anti guerra y anti ICE, como registros para la línea telefónica del Minnesota Council for American-Islamic Relations (Consejo de Minnesota para Relaciones Americano-Islámicas).

T-Mobile y AT&T cumplieron con la citación a pesar de que ninguno de los tres fueron acusados de cargos criminales, ni fueron notificados o pedidos de consentir a tales divulgaciones. Dada la naturaleza fraudulenta de la citación, otras compañías, como Google, rechazaron divulgar cualquier información.

Esta citación vino como parte de una investigación federal en desarrollo de los activistas que protestaron en enero 18 en Saint Paul contra el predicador en Cities Church, David Easterwood, quien es el director interino de la oficina local de las Operaciones de Detención y Deportación, también conocida como ERO St. Paul. 39 activistas de Minnesota, incluyendo activistas comunitarios negros Monique Cullars-Doty y Nekima Levy Armstrong, fueron arrestados en relación a esta acción, al igual que los reporteros notorios Georgia Fort y Don Lemon.

Sundin y Yorek son activistas anti guerra cuyo historial de activismo de solidaridad internacional se remonta a décadas atrás. Fueron incluídas en las redadas del FBI en 2010 y citaciones subsecuentes a un jurado de acusación, las cuales rehusaron cumplir. No estuvieron presentes ni estuvieron involucradas con la planeación de la protesta en Cities Church. La línea telefónica del Consejo de Minnesota para Relaciones Americano-Islámicas también carece de alguna relación discernible con la acción en Cities Church.

Un aspecto importante de la citación es que no son órdenes de cateo emitidas por una corte. Listado en la citación como uno de los receptores de la información es el agente especial del HSI Timothy Gerber, quien trabajó para el IRS antes de pasar a ICE en 2026. Él intentó, primero en febrero 2026 y después en marzo 2026, asegurar órdenes de cateo para incautar datos electrónicos de cinco acusados en el caso de Cities Church pero fue anulado por el juez John Docherty por fallar en establecer causa probable. Dos veces.

Desde entonces, Gerber, Grayson Cooper y el agente especial Steven Schrank han recurrido a citaciones de ICE para recuperar estos datos. La citación cita una ley que ordena la divulgación de datos relacionados a tasas pagadas a aduanas y otros asuntos de aduanas. La investigación de Cities Church no está relacionada a esto en absoluto. La citación de ICE ha recibido el extenso desdén de abogados y organizaciones de libertades civiles.

Esta citación viene como el siguiente paso en la saga de represión política lanzada contra los activistas anti ICE en las Ciudades Gemelas. Aparte de la protesta de Cities Church, 15 protestantes anti ICE, ahora conocidos como los 15 de Minnesota, han sido procesados con cargos federales falaces y enfrentan hasta más de una década en prisión por su activismo en el Whipple Building federal en Minneapolis. Los cargos incluyen el delito de conspiración para impedir un oficial federal, asalto de un oficial federal, acoso interestatal, amenazas interestatales, y más.

A pesar de las protestas involucrando más de 100,000 personas en el curso de meses invernales de temperatura subzero, Jonathan Ross, el agente de ICE que mató a Renee Good, y Jesus Ochoa y Raymundo Gutierrez, los agentes de ICE que mataron a Alex Pretti, están caminando libres y no han sido procesados por ningún crimen.

“Muchos de los 39 protestantes justos de Cities Church son mis amigos y colegas en el movimiento,” dijo Jess Sundin, una de los 23 Anti Guerra y una de los activistas de las Ciudades Gemelas cuyos registros telefónicos fueron incautados. “Ellos están siendo procesados por hacer lo correcto – oponerse a los ataques brutales de ICE contra inmigrantes. La idea de que el gobierno use una citación falaz para conseguir registros de sus comunicaciones conmigo es un intento desesperado para formar un caso de nada. En vez de dividirnos, o silenciarnos, las acciones del gobierno solo están fortaleciendo nuestra solidaridad y compromiso de seguir luchando por la justicia.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #ICE #DHS #PoliticalRepression #Minnesota15

Student activists at Northern Arizona University, members of the Flagstaff Students for a Democratic Society chapter, are facing harassment and threats of suspension for holding anti-ICE rallies this past spring. One leader, Sarah Rogala, is facing a second round of conduct hearings heading towards suspension. Another leader, Claire Wagoner, has been trespassed by campus police and is threatened with arrest if she appears on campus.

We wholeheartedly condemn this violation of their First Amendment rights to free speech and the right to assembly.

Flagstaff SDS came into existence in January 2026. By February and March, they were holding rallies of up to 400 people each, first demanding a sanctuary campus and then denouncing the construction of a new ICE office across from NAU. These rallies culminated in a 200-student sit-in at the president's office, spanning dozens of student organizations. These demands clearly reflected the will of the student body. By mid-April, the administration hit both Rogala and Wagoner with bogus conduct hearings and threats of suspension.

A student group like SDS, which takes a fighting approach to organizing, is a special target for administrators. Justin Mallett, the vice president of NAU Center for “Inclusive Excellence and Access” and a stooge for administration, was heard saying, “I'll be damned before I let SDS become an official student organization.”

The retaliation bears an eerie resemblance to similar anti-free speech policies enacted across the country. In Florida, long-standing SDS chapters that have been around for over a decade have leaders facing potential suspensions for even witnessing the act of people passing out fliers, such as at the University of North Florida and Florida State University.

Student leaders at University of Texas Austin have been suspended for protesting Trump's compact, which sought to bribe universities to wipe out any ethnic cultural organizations, programs such as women's and gender studies, and any course that addresses racism or oppression. Students in Louisiana have been hit hard with constant conduct charges, even for simply for giving speeches about Palestine in other parts of the city, including off campus.

These anti-protest policies take many forms: so-called “time, place and manner” policies at schools such as Cal Poly Humboldt in California, where any expression-related activity has to be approved by the university; bald-faced criminalization, where youth, such as Claire Wagoner in Arizona and SDS leaders in Tampa, Florida, are trespassed from campus and told that campus police will arrest them if they appear; policies setting strict limits on the ability to meet, give out flyers, or hold protests where students can actually see them; and more.

These policies began to appear everywhere at the end of the encampment for Gaza movement in 2024. They have become a norm across campuses and are wielded against protests of ICE and of Trump.

University presidents, such as NAU President Cruz Rivera, want everyone to think that there is nothing wrong in the U.S. and nothing to protest. They lie. They side with the Trump administration for chump change. They want to force students to look the other way as ICE strives to deport record numbers of immigrants and sets up an office across from campus. They will trample on students so that ICE can have free rein over students and staff at NAU.

So far, the brave student organizers in SDS will not let them, and neither will we. We condemn NAU's violation of Rogala and Wagoner's First Amendment rights to free speech and the freedom of assembly. We call on all progressives to do the same. We assert our right to protest on campus, and we will not let it go without a fight.

And when we fight, we win!

#FlagstaffAZ #AZ #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #PoliticalRepression #ICE #NAU

Chicago, IL – 50 community members, elected officials and rapid responders gathered in the Albany Park neighborhood on Saturday, September 12 to call for an investigation into what appeared to be collaboration between CPD and ICE observed by a rapid response volunteer at the beginning of the month.

The rapid responder observed multiple unmarked ICE vehicles operating out of the 17th Police District parking lot and began filming when the vehicles drove aggressively straight at her before exiting the lot. ICE presence in a Police District parking lot is a clear violation of the ICE-Free Zone executive order signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson in October 2025, which prohibits ICE from using city parking lots, vacant lots and garages as civil immigration enforcement staging areas, processing locations or operations bases.

Omar Flores, an organizer with the Immigrant Rights Working Committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, stated, “They should be willing to uphold the mayor’s executive order. They are beholden to the community!”

Rebecca Rios is a mother in the 17th District who has helped organize volunteers to accompany students on their walk to school to protect them from the gangs of ICE agents that have targeted her community. CPD’s “role is to protect and serve and what we’ve seen is quite the opposite,” Rios said at the press conference. “What we’ve also seen is our community come together to protect our children.”

Rios described how local immigrant rights organizations and community members have supported the family of a five-year-old schoolgirl whose father was abducted by ICE on Halloween last year. She said the father has been released due to pressure from the community. “It has been devastatingly beautiful,” she said.

State Senator Graciela Guzman cited the Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement. In any case of potential collaboration, “we need to know why they were there, what they were doing, who knew that they were there and whether any personnel, resources, information, or facilities were used to assist them,” Guzman said.

The press conference took place outside of the 17th District Council monthly public meeting, at which attendees planned to give public comment asking the District Councilors to demand information from CPD about the potential collaboration, and report it to Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA), a city-wide body with policymaking power over the police.

Chicagoans have been consistently demanding action from the CCPSA on CPD-ICE collaboration, with a January meeting bringing out over 1600 community members testifying about examples of what Flores described as CPD rolling “out the red carpet for ICE to continue their reign of terror in Chicago.”

The CCPSA also plays a central role in selecting candidates for police superintendent, a process that is currently underway to replace former Superintendent Larry Snelling. Snelling had outright denied the existence of any collaboration between CPD and ICE, Flores said.

“As we go into the search for the next superintendent, we demand the next superintendent take CPD-ICE collaboration seriously,” Flores said. “CAARPR fought to create the District Councils and the CCPSA to create transparency and accountability. We’re fighting for even more power now through the Community Power Over Policing referendum that will help us be able to actually hold these officers accountable and take on CPD-ICE collaboration.”

#ChicagoIL #IL #ImmigrantRights #InjusticeSystem #ChicagoPD #ICE

Flagstaff, AZ – On Friday, September 4, the Flagstaff chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held their first protest of the school semester at Northern Arizona University (NAU). The organization has been fighting to demand a sanctuary campus, and has held multiple marches, call-in campaigns and sit-ins during meetings with university administration.

SDS Flagstaff President Claire Wagoner and Vice-president Sarah Rogala have been charged with several policy violations by the university’s administration for their protests and actions advocating for a sanctuary campus, including protesting the opening of an ICE administrative office in Flagstaff.

According to multiple SDS members, the organization as a whole also faces repression from university administration.

SDS member Eris Wolfer said, “Admin constantly restricts where we can distribute flyers, where we can table; we have to fight to reserve rooms to hold meetings. The policies being cited to restrict us are contradictory, confusing, or just entirely nonexistent when we look for them. The conservatives on campus aren't faced with the same scrutiny and are actively assisted when their events fail to capture attention, it all just feels really targeted.”

At the start of the September 4 protest, students gave speeches condemning both ICE and NAU admin. Claire Wagoner told the crowd, “NAU needs to immediately take action to become the ‘progressive’ campus they claim to be.”

Wagoner continued, “We know everything they say is a lie, they are willing to protect their image and profit over the well-being of their students.”

The final speaker, Judah Francabandera, said, “This year we have seen ICE take the lives of countless people, both with direct lethal force, and by starving them of their human needs. We have seen ICE lease a building just a mile off campus. They’ve already taken people out of our city.”

Francabandera concluded, “Will we be spineless? No? Then let’s fucking march!”

The students then marched from the south side of campus to Flagstaff City Hall, chanting on the NAU campus and the streets of downtown Flagstaff. The protesters carried both a handmade banner and flag reading “Students for a Democratic Society,” as well as signs with such slogans as “Stop deportations!” “ICE kills children!” and “Join us against ICE!”

As they marched across campus, several students not participating in the march opened their windows to shout words of support.

While heading both to and from Flagstaff City Hall, the students marched through a monthly city art fair known as the First Friday ArtWalk. Hundreds of attendees parted the way for the protestors and cheered them on.

The protest ended with speeches in which anyone to share their perspective. One student gave an account of how her aunt was taken by ICE. SDS member Giovanni Alvarez stated, “A family friend of mine, who is Navajo, by the way, was detained by ICE and was taken to Page, Arizona. She has no family in Page, and never went there prior.”

Alvarez added, “I have been stopped by ICE myself when I lived in Scottsdale. They asked me if I was ‘legal,’ if I had ‘paperwork.’ I was born here in Arizona, what do you want from me?”

SDS Flagstaff plans to escalate its campaign for a sanctuary campus while continuing to oppose the ICE office in Flagstaff.

#FlagstaffAZ #AZ #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE #SanctuaryCampus #PoliticalRepression

Gilroy, CA – On September 13, around 75 community members rallied together at San Ysidro Park for a victory rally and march to celebrate the court-ordered pause on construction of the nearby ICE facility.

Community Service Organization San José (CSO San José) called the action in collaboration with the San José Coalition Against Trump (SJCAT) after the Santa Clara County Court ruled in favor of a preliminary injunction, pausing the construction of the ICE detention center being built in Gilroy.

The rally was kicked off by chants led by Pan Garcia of CSO San José, later transitioning into a march from San Ysidro Park to the location where the ICE detention center was being built.The energy remained high throughout the march as chants reflecting community members' demands such as “ICE out of Gilroy,” “Chinga la migra” and “Se ve, se siente – el pueblo está presente!”

Once the march arrived at the ICE construction site, the crowd gathered for the program. Ariya Amin with CSO San José stated, “This is a win for us, and this is a small step that we are proud to see in the fight to stop this detention center.”

Amin continued, “This means that construction will need to be at a halt until the court case is complete, and it is hopeful.” Amin went on to explain that Santa Clara County and the attorney general's office had five legal allegations prepared in response to the federal government's initiative to carry out the unlawful construction of the ICE detention center in Gilroy. Out of the five allegations, just one was enough to call for a temporary injunction.

Lyla Salinas, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), stated, “They paused the construction of the detention center; this is a win for the immigrant rights movement here in Gilroy, in San José and nationally!”

Salinas continued, “We have shown that every time we face injustice, that we face oppression as immigrants and Chicanos, that we need to fight back! And when we fight back, we win!”

“It’s not just this, it’s also attacks against students, against workers, every single one of the people’s movements is being attacked by the Trump administration today,” continued Salinas. “Every punch, every fight, everything that is thrown at our people, we have to fight back in force. We have to fight back and show them that we as people have the power!”

After the program ended, people marched back to San Ysidro, chanting in good spirits as they celebrated this people's victory, won through struggle.

#GilroyCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #DetentionCenter #OppressedNationalities #BayArea

Centennial, CO – On Wednesday, September 9, over 40 supporters arrived to support long-time activists: Arnie Carter and Terry Burnsed, student organizer El Moss, and Yoselin Corrales, an immigrant rights organizer and co-founder of Aurora Unidos CSO. The four were arrested on July 20 outside of the ICE Field Office in Centennial, Colorado. They face state and federal charges for protesting against ICE and the mistreatment inside the GEO Group detention facility.

The public and the press were invited to come out to hear from the protesters, the legal counsel of those facing charges, and community allies. With picket signs, breakfast pastries, and beverages in tow, community members joined together in high spirits outside of the Arapahoe County Justice Center. They reminded passersby that “protesting is not a crime!” and demanding that the charges be dropped for the Centennial protesters.

Arapahoe County Sheriffs pushed participants to the outskirts of the entrance and threatened additional charges on attendees for stepping over their invisible “free speech zone” line.

“I want to be very clear why we’re here: it’s because they protested. That’s it,” said Attorney Andy McNulty before court began. During the press conference, all four of the protesters' legal representatives proudly stood by in support before ushering their clients into the courthouse, with those attending for court support following closely behind.

Protest arrests have risen drastically in the past year, with large, targeted campaigns against the Minnesota’s Righteous 39 Cities Church protesters and the Minnesota 15 in the Twin Cities, and the egregious charges against the Prairieland Protesters in Texas. There have also been smaller groups of protesters targeted, such as the seven clergy who were recently arrested in Vermont for standing up against ICE, and even four organizers who were arrested for protesting against the proposed detention center (that the GEO Group received $529 million dollars from ICE to open) in Hudson, Colorado. Anti-ICE sentiment has been steadily growing across the country, and in turn, so has political repression.

Prominent immigrant organizer Jeanette Vizguerra was present Wednesday morning and reminded the crowd of her own struggle with political repression, including her detainment in the Aurora GEO Facility for over nine months in 2025.

“It’s important that we stand together,” Vizguerra stated after the protesters returned from inside. All four of the protesters will return to court on Tuesday, October 20 at 1:30 p.m. for their next court date.

“Free speech is not a crime, and that’s why we’re standing here today – to be able to defend our movements and stand in solidarity with our siblings that have been arrested,” shared Brandon Gehrke-Quintanilla, a immigrant rights organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO.

Organizers in the community committed to continuing to show up to support activists who are being repressed, and the movements that are being targeted.

#CentennialCO #CO #DenverCO #AuroraCO #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Billings, MT – On August 23 and 24, the Billings Alliance for Immigrant Rights (BAIR) held protests in downtown Billings outside of the ICE field office. These protests came after the revelation that federal immigration agents had, the week before, used the local United Way’s backpack drive as a staging ground to kidnap members of two immigrant families.

On August 11, father Adrián Espinoza De La Cruz and his nine-year-old daughter were detained by ICE agents immediately after leaving the United Way parking lot and taken to a detention facility in Havre, Montana. The United Way learned of a second detention the next day, involving another family that attended the event. The families were released after being held for a little over a week.

On the first day of protest, BAIR rallied outside of the ICE field office in downtown Billings, where protesters chanted, “ICE out now!” On Monday, August 24, BAIR gathered outside of the ICE field office again and then marched towards Billings City Hall. Marchers chanted the demand, “Sanctuary city now!”

By the time the march reached city hall, the group was at least 16 people strong. Community members filed into the meeting, making Mayor Mike Nelson and other council members visibly uncomfortable. The allotted time for community members to comment on “non-agenda items” was not until the end of the meeting. Because of the urgency of the issue, BAIR disrupted the council’s agenda, submitting comments on a sanctuary city ahead of the allotted time.

Lain Dorsey, a member of BAIR and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), stated, “A nine-year-old girl was kidnapped by ICE and you still will not put a sanctuary city on the agenda!”

Mayor Nelson attempted to interrupt Dorsey, banging his gavel. When Dorsey did not relent, the council had her microphone muted. In spite of this, Dorsey and other BAIR members chanted loudly in the council chambers, bringing the meeting to a halt. “Mayor Nelson, shame on you! Immigrant lives matter too!” rang out in the chambers, causing council members to quickly move to take a recess.

During recess, the activists were approached by members of the city administration, including Mayor Mike Nelson. Nelson told BAIR to “go through the proper forums” to get an item on the council agenda but refused to explain what those forums were. Interim city administrator Kevin Iffland demanded that Lain Dorsey leave the council chambers, but Dorsey refused, instead returning to her seat.

When the non-agenda public comment section took place, city council member Scott Aspenlieder left the meeting, not interested in hearing more BAIR members speak.

Local public school teacher Tessa Miller scolded the council, “The problem is that kids are getting kidnapped at a backpack drive and no one seems to care, you guys just twiddle your thumbs and laugh to the side.”

After Miller’s comment, City Council Member Bill Kennedy was determined to tone-police the protesters and threatened to leave the meeting if there was not “a cordial speaking to the council.” However, the activists continued to give confrontational public comments, with Kennedy leaving after he had had enough.

Throughout the meeting, a racist man attempted to threaten and intimidate BAIR members. The man held a target practice paper near the activists, which they interpreted as a violent threat. As Lain Dorsey gave her initial comment, the racist man stood directly behind her and gestured toward Billings police officers, mimicking what looked like a chokehold.

Despite this threatening behavior being clearly visible to Mayor Nelson and the rest of council, nothing was said to condemn it. Instead, Nelson chose to continue imposing rules limiting the speech of BAIR activists. After the meeting adjourned, BAIR rallied outside of city hall.

Lain Dorsey, leading the rally, stated, “We show up voicing anti-racist, pro-immigrant demands and get silenced for it. Meanwhile, a racist can threaten us, and Mayor Nelson says nothing!”

#BillingsMT #MT #ImmigrantRights #ICE #BAIR