Melbourne, FL – On Saturday, August 8, over 30 community members from throughout Florida's Space Coast gathered in Melbourn to a protest called by the Space Coast Immigrant Rights Alliance (SCIRA).

Florida contains the highest population of Haitian immigrants of all 50 states, with over 4000 of residing in Brevard County.

Demonstrators gathered in front of the office complex housing the office of Representative Mike Haridopolos, demanding the U.S. government reinstate Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants, a policy recently cancelled by the Trump administration as part of its escalating terror campaign against immigrants.

The protest was attended by activists from groups including Brevard Youth for Democracy, Awake Brevard Action Alliance, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization Orlando, all of whom held signs and chanted facing the busy intersection.

Jack Apostos with Brevard Youth Democracy told the crowd “The fight doesn’t end here today and pick up at the next rally; it is 24/7, seven days a week until we win.”

A member of the Space Coast Immigrant Rights Alliance stated, “Haiti, an island nation founded by formerly enslaved Africans, has never seen a day of peace ever since they declared independence in 1804.” He continued, “There must be an end to 287(g) immediately. We cannot allow this constant cycle of abuse. We cannot allow a felon and his masked thugs to hide behind the police department and other local law enforcement entities.”

#MelbourneFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #Haitians

Portland, OR – On August 11, the immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones held a rally to demand an end to attacks on Haitian immigrants as a part of a week of action called by national network Legalization for All. The rally was just a few blocks away from a Haitian church.

The rally came two weeks after the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for the roughly 350,000 Haitians covered by the temporary immigration benefit.

“This cruel decision reflects the racist and dehumanizing agenda of the Trump administration. We firmly stand in solidarity with the Haitians in Ohio facing mass deportation,” stated Cami Saunders of PDXCD. Organizers emphasized their campaign demanding Portland revoke the permit for the local ICE facility and the need for city government to take action to protect local Haitians.

“If the ICE facility remains with a permit, there will be no way to ensure safety for our local Haitian community affected by this ruling,” said Cruz Rivera, another member of PDXCD.

During the event, counter-protesters showed up to disrupt and spread hate. PDXCD organizers quickly responded by shifting to a visibility rally, which drowned out the uninvited. Cars honking in sympathy with the rally helped spread the message of “Legalization not deportation!” Haitian community members were seen waving from their cars.

Beatriz Ibarra, an organizer with PDXCD, summarized the event, “Even though agitators popped up, it was a successful event. We had members from the Haitian community drive by, and a few who were in the neighborhood joined our rally.”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD #Haitians #TPS

Santa Ana, CA – On Saturday, August 9, community members gathered in front of the Santa Ana Federal Building to demand Trump stop his attacks on Haitian immigrants. This protest was a response to a call to action from the Legalization 4 All Network to resist Trump’s racist attack on Haitian immigrants with the ending of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian immigrants.

The rally started with the chant os “Defend TPS! Defend TPS!” by Jay Perez from the immigration committee of the Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC).

“TPS once protected roughly 3 million people providing lifesaving protection from deportations and the ability to work and provide for their families. Since then, Trump’s regime has slowly gutted these protections, country by country: Honduras, Venezuela, now Haiti,” Perez continued.

“With the Supreme Court ruling, over 300,000 Haitians have lost their protected status overnight. This attack on TPS is an act of violence against our immigrant community and we will stand up and fight back! This administration is using every means at its disposal to ramp up its deportation machine and the Haitian community is now on the front lines of family separation and deadly deportations. We must show up for our neighbors!” Perez stated.

Diana Terreros of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) took the mic, “The termination of TPS is happening after Trump and Vance made disgusting racist comments about Haitian immigrants eating neighborhood pets in Ohio during their campaign that resulted in harassment and threats. It also comes after the U.S. has intervened in Haiti in an attempt to control their politics and economy for more than a century.”

“As a communist, I know that these destabilizing attacks will continue to happen under capitalism. That’s why I’m in FRSO, fighting to bring socialism forward every day. Whether you are a Chicana whose parents are at risk of deportation or a Haitian immigrant being forced to wear an ankle monitor, our enemy is the same and we must unite to fight against them!” Terreros concluded.

“Hands off TPS! Let Haitians stay!” chanted the protesters as they faced the federal building.

“We saw during the Biden administration, Haitians were whipped by a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent while crossing a river to get to Texas. This was under Biden, and now things are worse. We are seeing how both sides of the ruling class function the same way in oppressing the colonized people of the world,” stated Paulo Cruzalgui of the Latin American Committee of the Hands off Uhuru! Hands off Africa! Fightback coalition.

Community members were encouraged to speak on the immigration organizing they do in Santa Ana. Joellez Lopez from CSO OC said, “Through CSO I have been exposed to the barrio walks. We go into the community, we educate people on how to identify ICE, give out resources, and also hear from them. We have been able to work closely with the Coach Royal residents who have been facing racist harassment from Kingsley management.”

“Let’s continue the work and let Santa Ana hear us! ICE out of OC! Hands off TPS!” stated Lopez.

This protest was organized by Community Service Organization Orange County alongside other community organizations. If you’d like to learn more or get involved with CSO OC. You can contact them on Instagram on CSO.OC or by phone at 714-367-6350.

#SantaAnaCA #SantaAna #CA #CSO #CSOOC #Immigration #TPS #ImmigrantRights

Portland, OR – On August 11, a Multnomah County jury found Dr. Catherine Esperanza guilty of the bogus charge of “interfering with a police officer” after the Portland Police Bureau violently arrested her for protesting outside the ICE facility.

Local immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones waged a campaign to drop the charges and condemned the sham conviction.

After helping build public pressure to fight the charges through an email campaign and confrontations of the district attorney, activists and community supporters held a press conference, August 10, before the trial and attended both days of the proceedings.

Both the arrest and the trial showed Multnomah County and Portland Police’s clear bias against immigrant rights protesters.

Esperanza was arrested after police pushed protesters out of the driveway of the ICE facility using batons during a May Day protest at the facility. Bodycam footage showed they made a targeted arrest of protester Cole Dunahugh, claiming he breached the gate at the facility. This was a complete falsehood and so the charges on Dunahugh were later dropped.

During the arrest, police shoved their way into the crowd and pushed a group of people down, on top of Esperanza. In the bodycam footage she could be heard screaming “I have a broken leg,” and attempting to get the crowd off of her injured leg. Police then flipped her onto her stomach and put a knee on her neck. She can be heard screaming “I can't breathe.” The district attorney painted this attempt as pulling police officers on top of her and forming a “human chain” to prevent arrests.

Judge Celia Howes curbed the defense attorney's ability to question witnesses, sustaining objections by the prosecutor to questions such as “Did police interact with protesters?” for being leading questions. When a witness stated police used batons to push back protesters, the prosecutor played a clipped video that began immediately after the use of batons and asked the witness to answer yes or no as to whether the police used batons in the video. When the witness attempted to say the use of batons was before the video began, judge Howes cut the witness off saying they could only answer in a yes or no format.

Additionally the prosecution continually said Dunahugh breached the gate at the ICE facility and that police were attacked with rocks, despite no evidence to support these claims.

After a two-hour deliberation, the jury delivered a guilty verdict. Supporters were angry, with many stating they see this as a complete miscarriage of justice.

Dr. Esperanza vowed not to allow the verdict to stop her fight for justice and to stop deportations. She released the following statement, “This guilty verdict is not a victory for justice; this case is a desperate attempt by the state to intimidate us into silence.”

The city has continually repressed the fight to revoke the permit to shut down the ICE facility, and this shameful guilty verdict is another example of this repression.

Esperanza’s statement declares, “They think that charging activists and targeting those who stand up for immigrant rights will break our resolve. They are wrong. Instead of chilling us, this blatant misuse of the legal system has galvanized our movement.”

The city continues to allow violations of human rights and the land use permit to occur at the ICE facility. Meanwhile, those who stand up for the human rights of immigrants and those impacted by ICE are persecuted for their work in advocating for dignity, equity, justice and care for all members of the Portland community.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #PoliticalRepression #InjusticeSystem

Tampa, FL – On Sunday, August 8,about 20 people came out to downtown Tampa to demand that Trump and ICE stop their attacks on Haitian immigrants, after the revocation of Temporary Protected Status.

Since the end of TPS, Haitians have been subject to cruel and inhumane treatment, such as being told to report for self-deportation or face humiliating measures like ankle-monitors. They have been targeted in large scale immigration raids in places like Immokalee, a rural mostly farmworker community in southwest Florida. The activists rallied under the slogans of legalization for all, stop the deportations, and protect TPS.

One in ten Haitians have had to flee Haiti due to the violence brought about by U.S.-led interventions that have destabilized the country, resulting in over 8100 killings last year.

5.7 million people face starvation, as cholera runs rampant due to a non-existent health system. To say that Haitians here do not deserve protected status is as absurd as it is racist. Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TAARPR) and Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee (Tampa IRC) organized this action, as part of a call to action by the Legalization for All network.

Emma Rice, an organizer with TAARPR stated, “Haiti has also suffered massive ecological disasters. Its original TPS designation came after the 2010 earthquake, when DHS granted temporary protections for Haitians already in the U.S. Yet UN camp conditions sparked a cholera outbreak that killed over 10,000 people. While the U.S. and its allies claim they want to ‘stabilize’ Haiti, their interference has fueled the gang violence, political chaos, and economic collapse we see today.”

Joe Nohava, of the Tampa IRC, spoke about Tampa Police Department officers participating in these deportations through its 287(g) agreement with ICE, asking, “Do we want our local police force to be part of this atrocity? Our city council and mayor could put an end to this- by passing an ordinance to end 287(g), and banning cooperation with ICE and immigration police, they could make this city a safer place for Haitian and all immigrants. They could do this tomorrow.”

All speakers and organizations present agreed to come out the next time Trump attacks the people. As emcee Yunqing Zheng put it, “Donald Trump has pissed a lot of people off, and so he creates his own enemies. It’s up to us to organize everyone he’s pissed off.”

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #Haitians #Haiti #TAARPR #TIRC #TPS

New Orleans, LA – On August 8, a crowd of about 40 people gathered to protest the Trump regime’s recent attacks on Haitian immigrants. The protest demanded an end to mass deportations and for legalization for all immigrants. Nationwide protests broke out in response to a call to action from the Legalization for All Network.

The Department of Homeland Security officially revoked TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for over 300,000 Haitian and Syrian immigrants, immediately putting them in danger of deportation. TPS includes work authorizations, and this revocation triggered immediate layoffs for all workers impacted.

Protesters chanted, “No human is illegal, all power to the people!” and held picket signs that read “Stop the mass deportation of Haitians!” and “Down with ICE terror!” Many attendees were already involved in some form of anti-ICE activism, from know-your-rights trainers to court watch organizers.

“It is important that we recognize that this administration is targeting Haitian immigrants particularly because [this administration] are racists, and we know this because they say it proudly! We must fight against these deportations not just in words, but with our hands and fists, raised against these tyrants,” affirmed Toni Jones, a member of the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Rosalina Framboise, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke about Haiti’s revolutionary history, “The Haitian people were daring to struggle and daring to win when the United States barely had recognition. The powers that be are terrified of Haiti and its people because they know that if Haiti can kick their French oppressors out of power, so can every oppressed people – so can the workers and nationally oppressed of this country.”

The organizations who sponsored the protest included the Ben Gordon Freedom Caravan, Louisiana for Collective Liberation, New Orleans Nurses United New Orleans Alliance Against Racist And Political Repression, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports, and more.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #ImmigrantRights #Haiti #TPS

Portland, OR – On August 2, smoke filled the air in downtown Portland. The historic Centennial Mills Warehouse was on fire. As firefighters poured water onto the building, all eight floors collapsed, sending debris into the air and onto the surrounding residential buildings, which would later test positive for asbestos.

The toxic air was reminiscent of similar scenes in the South Waterfront neighborhood over the past year at the Portland ICE facility, where ICE and DHS deployed large amounts of chemical weapons at immigrant rights protesters over a period of several months. The effects of those weapons were felt miles away.

The bad air quality is not the only similarity between the two environmental catastrophes. Both buildings are owned by real estate developer Stuart Lindquist.

Activists with Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD), an immigrant rights organization leading a campaign to shut down the Portland ICE facility, were quick to make the connection.

“It’s not surprising to me that a man who makes $2.4 million annually off renting out a concentration camp to ICE is also the owner of a derelict building that burnt down and poisoned the neighborhood as a result of his negligence,” said Beatriz Ibarra. “The question I have is, when will the city finally step in and put an end to his dangerous investments?”

Lindquist was issued a land use violation by the city of Portland in September 2025 for violating the terms of the permit for the ICE facility, by holding detainees past a 12-hour limit numerous times. This came after months of public pressure and a petition of over 19,000 signatures.

Almost a year later, the city has yet to collect any fines for this violation. In fact, during the last year, Lindquist was granted more opportunities for real estate projects by the city.

In August 2025, when a school next to the ICE facility was forced to relocate due to all the chemical weapons nearby, City Councilmember Mitch Green stepped in fast track permit approval for the school to move into another building owned by Lindquist.

In October 2025, while Donald Trump was deploying the National Guard to “protect” the Portland ICE facility from protesters, the Portland Design Commission approved Lindquist’s plans to develop the Centennial Mills Warehouse into residential housing, despite public outcry, given Lindquist's track history.

“Again and again Lindquist is given the green light by the city to make money off Portlanders, but when we ask for the city to hold him accountable, we’re told this is impossible,” said Blaire Glennon, another member of PDXCD.

In response to calls for the city to shut down the Portland ICE facility, officials made it clear they are not interested in acting. Councilors Mitch Green, Tiffany Koyama Lane, Angelita Morillo, Jamie Dunphy and Sameer Kanal put out a statement saying they will not revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility. A video was leaked where City Administrator Raymond Lee let city employees know the city is “committed to keeping the facility open.”

Demolition orders were served to Lindquist for the Centennial Mills property, and the city states an investigation is ongoing into the cause of the fire. So far, the city has not pursued any repercussions for the release of asbestos into the air, or the fire-related shutdown of critical public transportation surrounding the property.

This clear pattern of allowing Lindquist to move forward with real estate projects despite evidence his investments cause harm to the city, and the refusal of the city to step in once this harm does occur, raises questions as to whether city officials are working for regular Portlanders, or wealthy and influential individuals.

“We remain committed in demanding the ICE facility is shut down,” said Glennon. “The Centennial Mills fire just makes it clearer that this is an emergency.”

On August 14, Lindquist will be back in court regarding the land use violation of the Portland ICE facility. Lindquist continues to challenge the ruling, and appealed to Multnomah County Court, claiming the city is biased against ICE. Given the city's explicit commitment to keeping the facility open, PDXCD maintains this is simply an attempt to continue to stall. They will be mobilizing for the hearing to put pressure on the judge to strike down the case.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

St. Paul, MN – Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) responded to the Legalization for All Network’s call to protest against Trump’s racist attacks on Haitian immigrants. Dozens of protesters gathered on the Marshall Avenue/Lake Street bridge at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5 to stand with the Haitian community against Trump’s latest racist anti- immigrant attack.

In Ohio, Hattian immigrants are being summoned by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are being forced to wear ankle monitors until their deportation hearing – or be deported immediately.

On June 25, the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which provides work authorization, travel permission and protection from deportation for Haitian and Syrian immigrants. This came after a far-right ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court (Mullin v. Doe), where six of the nine judges voted to allow Trump to terminate this status for the two immigrant communities.

Within a day, 300,000 Haitian and Syrian immigrants became undocumented and at risk for deportation.

Protesters held signs that read “We say no to Trump’s mass deportation of Haitian immigrants! End U.S. intervention in Haiti!” and waved as passing drivers honked, bikers rang their bells, and a runner clapped on her run in support.

The rally ended with a brief program where the crowd heard from Mira Altobell-Resendez, an organizer with MIRAC, told the crowd, “This most recent rug-pull, taking TPS away from workers and families who have been in the U.S. for years, has already resulted in thousands of Haitians in Ohio being put into deportation proceedings and forced to wear inhumane ankle monitors.”

Altobell-Resendez continued, “There is not a single person who benefits from mass deportations like these, or what took place in the Twin Cities during Metro Surge, except for the same people who always make money from human suffering: the white supremacist ruling class!” They ended with calling on Governor Tim Walz to “spend his last months in office fighting tooth and nail to create ICE-free zones and ban collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.”

WAMM holds a vigil on the Marshall/Lake bridge every Wednesday and this week’s action was co-hosted with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).

#StPaulMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #Haiti #TPS #ICE

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All Network (L4A).

The Legalization for All Network (L4A) condemns Trump’s racist attacks against Haitian immigrants in Ohio who are being summoned by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to wear ankle monitors until their deportation hearing or be deported immediately. We call on member organizations and allies of the immigrant community to rally in defense of Haitian immigrants.

On June 25, the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS)—provides protection from deportation, work authorization, and travel permission—for Haitian and Syrian immigrants following a far-right ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court (Mullin v. Doe) where 6 of the 9 judges voted to allow Trump to terminate this status for the two immigrant communities

Within a day, 300,000 Haitian and Syrian immigrants became undocumented and at risk for deportation.

We call on allies in the immigrants’ rights movement to stand in solidarity with Haitian and Syrian immigrants to hit the streets, no deportations and defend TPS against Trump's racist attacks.

Stop Trump’s mass deportation of Haitian immigrants!

Defend TPS!

No deportations!

Legalization for all now!

#ImmigrantRights #Haiti #TPS #ICE #L4A

The Trump administration has made the cruel choice to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. This puts nearly 350,000 people in the crosshairs of the mass deportation machine. Given ICE’s track record, we need to take them at their word and take this as a serious threat.

It’s a campaign of intimidation, and the administration is playing with people’s lives. The decision is pulling the rug out from under families who have been living in the US for years—they have children, livelihoods, and community ties—they’re not going anywhere, nor should they. In Ohio, families are already getting letters telling them to “deport yourself, or else” and being degraded and treated like criminals. The real criminals are in the White House. They want to use panic and harassment to drive people out of their homes.

The Trump administration also wants our movement to stay silent about it. We call on everyone who can see this is wrong to drag these attacks into the light. We need protests and we need to be in the streets. It’s time to stand up and say no to Trump’s deportation machine.

Stop the mass deportation of Haitians!

Legalization not deportation!

#ImmigrantRights #ICE #TPS #Haitians #OH

Los Angels, CA – On July 25, in downtown Los Angeles a coalition of over 50 organizations and faith leaders gathered for a funeral procession to honor the lives of those murdered by ICE. This action was organized under the slogan “Justice for All.”

The procession started at LA City Hall and marched through the streets carrying handmade cardboard coffins and pictures of those killed by ICE, including Keith Porter, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

No Camps CA and NELA for Democracy were the two main groups that organized this vigil demanding a full, independent investigation, the release and protection of those who witnessed the murder of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, an end to local collaboration with ICE, and for immediate action by Congress.

Marylinda Moss from NELA for Democracy told the crowd, “It was powerful and moving to have more than 50 grassroots groups here in LA and all across the country come together in unity in just over a week, for [the] ‘Justice for All Day of Action and Accountability’ to stand in solidarity against the brutality and the senseless killings enacted by this government. Thanks to the many hands and hearts it took to make over 70 coffins in a week, paired with the ‘Killed by ICE’ placards; it was an undeniable visual of what is being done to our people.”

Los Jornaleros Del Norte, a band that is known for leading protests with cumbias and “Music that accompanies the struggle and celebrates the dignity of the immigrant and working-class community,” guided the procession from Los Angeles City Hall to Placita Olvera.

Brianna Mosqueda from Centro CSO said, “Being able to be a pallbearer was an honor. But it also made me think about the 73-plus families that have to carry their fathers, mothers, or children to rest. These families suffer because of modern day ethnic cleansing. We see the warnings and if we don’t do anything now, this will become a genocide.”

Michelle Arkin with No Concentration Camps CA said, “At the Justice for All vigil in downtown Los Angeles we gathered to mourn lives that should never have been lost: Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Johan Sebastian Guerrero, and the more than 70 people who have died in ICE custody or murdered on our streets. Our grief is real, but it is not the end of the story. Standing and processing with 73 coffins in solidarity, we transformed mourning into a powerful reminder that no one stands alone. Unity is our greatest strength.”

Verita Topete, the co-chair of Centro CSO’s Immigration Committee, read a statement of accountability and ended with, “We can say ‘abolish ICE’ but what happens when ICE is abolished? Before ICE there was INS. The people in power will just start over and build another agency to oppress and kill us. This is why we need legalization for all 11-plus million undocumented immigrants.”

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Tacoma, WA – On Sunday, July 26, more than 30 community members rallied in the summer heat to demand the release of Felix Alvarez Ponce and all those detained at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC). The protest marks the fifth month that Felix Ponce Alvarez has been detained in the NWDC, and of his fighting his detention.

The rally began with the crowd chanting their demand to “Free Felix!” and “Free them all.” The chants became so loud that Ponce called and told his family that he could hear the crowd inside the detention center.

Lane Parish, an organizer with Pierce County Immigration Alliance, shared the words Alvarez asked to be shared with the crowd. “Inside this detention center, conditions are poor. Many people get sick often, who were healthy before. I have been sick four times since February. The guards are often cruel, intentionally humiliating the people here.”

Parish also shared on behalf of Alvarez the impact his detention had on his family and community, including missing his brother’s passing, family birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduation and several months of his daughter’s first year of life.

“If someone asked me if I believe ICE and GEO facilities should be shut down, my answer is yes, I say 10,000 times, yes,” stated Parish.

This action is only the most recent of a long history of community organization against the NWDC.

Joseph Ostheller, a member of FRSO’s Seattle district, chronicled the detention center's origins and its track record of inhumane treatment, stating, “This concentration camp – the Northwest Detention Center – broke ground in 2004 to serve a then-new agency in the U.S. Government: Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It has been right here in Tacoma through five presidential administrations, four mayors, and truly countless abductions.”

“GEO Group brought in $2.6 billion last year on imprisoning our neighbors – and profits of $254 million,” Ostheller continued. “These profits were scraped out of our community by charge-by-the-minute phone calls, inedible food, medical neglect, and even forcing detainees to work inside the facility for less than a dollar a day.”

The immigrant community in Tacoma, along with the other major cities in the U.S., has been hard at work in response to the recent surge of ICE activity that is a result of the DHS ordering an increase of daily detentions to 2000 arrests a day, a doubling of the previous quota ICE was carrying out.

Anyelia Brown, who spoke on behalf of the local Adopt a Corner group and the rapid response network, stated, “Several of our community members right here in Tacoma have been taken by ICE from the South Tacoma Home Depot while looking for work and trying to provide for their families. These are skilled laborers, longtime community members, and hard workers who are just trying to get by while navigating language barriers, wage theft, health issues and immigration terror.”

Organizers across the U.S. have been documenting similar patterns regarding the operations of ICE’s immigration terror. In contrast to the mass arrests prevalent during the start of Trump's deportation campaign, ICE has switched to tactics that bring less attention to the news, opting to detain civilians through traffic stops and the interception of individuals attending court, or in areas with sparse density to avoid being tracked. Felix is among these individuals who were unlawfully brought into detention while going through his immigration hearings.

Catelynn Henion, an organizer with the Pierce County Immigration Alliance, spoke against the fear tactics that ICE implements with their operations, “I know that our neighbors should not be locked inside a detention center. I know that our neighbors shouldn’t be gunned down in the street by ICE. I know that people deserve dignity and a life where they don’t live in fear that they will be locked up in a place where people are abused and not given adequate access to medical care. I know that the people locked up inside this detention center are workers, parents, friends, family. I know the loss of them in our community is felt deeply and widely.”

Catelynn Henion stated, “It is regular people, people like Felix, people like you, people like me, that will make a change. Not once has the city, the state, or the federal government given us anything because they felt like it! Everything we have won is because ordinary people fought for it!”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Three days earlier, Corey Ruiz was fatally shot in Madison, Wisconsin. Nine days before that, Joan Sebastian Guerrero was brutally murdered by ICE in Maine, in front of his one-year-old daughter. And just the night before, word came through that the “drugs” DHS had used to smear Lorenzo Salgado Araujo had tested negative, too late to undo the damage of the accusation. This is the backdrop against which the riders gathered: a rolling body count that never seems to pause long enough for anyone to catch their breath.

The day's program opened a block from George Floyd Square.

Tiffany Dunlap, defendant number 17 of the Righteous 39, took the mic first, speaking of the repression being brought against activists, followed by Michelle Gross of Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB). Then came Jeanelle Austin, the Square's lead caretaker, who tied together the history of police oppression in South Minneapolis. She said, “We have to keep organizing, we have to keep standing, we have to keep fighting for each other, for our neighbors. We have to keep shouting from the rooftops to make sure we organize more people to stand with us so we can end the state-sanctioned violence.”

From there, the ride carried the crowd to Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue, an intersection that holds real weight in the history of Metro Surge, as the site of the first mass ICE action in Minneapolis under Donald Trump’s second administration. Isavela López described the ties between historical oppression of indigenous Americans and modern police repression of immigrant communities. She faced charges for nothing more than standing up for her neighbors during that raid.

López reminded the crowd, “It's more than me at this point. These are people that want to just help their neighbors; that have honest hearts; that want to learn more; that want to be advocates. I know at the end of the day there will be justice.” López's case is not an outlier. The same repression shows up in the cases of the Righteous 39 and the Minnesota 15, and in the century-long sentences being handed to activists in Texas.

A member of Asamblea de Derechos Civiles spoke after her about the atrocities families are facing every day.

The ride's next stop carried a different kind of weight, the memorial for Alex Pretti. Anusha Ramaswami of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) led a moment of silence here, honoring Pretti alongside the latest life lost in Madison.

Then there was a stop at the memorial for Renee Good. Here, Alissa Washington, the director of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-sentenced Families Council, spoke of her childhood friend Terrence Franklin, murdered by police in May 2013. She also spoke of her cousin Stephen Washington, who died in prison because of officer negligence, days before he was set to walk free.

Washington spoke of her own ongoing fight – 20 years spent trying to win freedom for her wrongfully incarcerated fiancé, Cornelius “Corn” Jackson, locked away for a crime he never committed. On July 2, Washington’s 72-year-old uncle was detained by ICE. As the group gathered that Saturday, he was being processed for deportation. Washington is now raising his four children, and she asked the crowd for donations of school supplies for those kids, which people can arrange through the Instagram page for the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (@tcc4j).

Washington stated, “When I say these struggles are personal, I mean every word. I had mourned my childhood friend because of police violence here in Minneapolis. I have buried my cousin because of police negligence here in Minnesota. I fight every day for the freedom of the man I love. And now, I am helping raise my uncle's children because ICE decided to tear another family apart. This movement isn't something I clock into, this is my life. This is my family!”

The ride closed where it began. Angie Cisneros Rosero of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) took the mic for the day's final word, “Let us remember the strength in our broken hearts. They see us united. They see people who continue to fight even with tears in their eyes. The problem is not that people don't care. We need collective power. Power so strong that the system can no longer govern in the same way. The only way we will see justice, is if we the people organize and make it happen.”

MIRAC currently has a campaign to get Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and all gubernatorial candidates to sign an executive order regarding a number of issues discussed here. If you are interested in signing a petition to pressure these politicians to act, please go to https://c.org/kCzgWPgx48.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #MIRAC #AlexPretti #ReneeGood

Centennial, CO – At 8 a.m. on Monday, July 20, organizers and community members from across the Denver Metro area joined together for a protest at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Denver Field Office in Centennial, Colorado.

The protesters come together for a die-in scheduled by the Shut Down GEO Coalition to highlight detained immigrants' demands for freedom, humane conditions, and to end all contracts with GEO Group, the operators of a for-profit detention facility in Aurora, Colorado. GEO Group was also recently awarded over $528 million dollars to open up a shuttered correctional facility in Hudson, Colorado.

The rally began with speeches from organizers and family members of immigrants who have been impacted by the racist and brutal deportation system. Speakers touched on the longstanding history of medical neglect, insufficient and unsafe food, low wages, guard and staff abuse, and, most recently, a confirmed case of tuberculosis within the Aurora GEO facility.

Despite pressure from medical professionals, legal advocates and the local community, the GEO Group has still not met the demand for compliance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for contact tracing and a full health investigation. While GEO Group delays crucial investigations and treatment, they could ultimately be subjecting the entire city and state to unnecessary health risks.

After the speeches, protesters staged a die-in where they laid down on the ground in front of the ERO office, representing the lives stolen by ICE and private prison contractors GEO Group and CoreCivic.

While attendees were lying on the ground, listening to recordings of testimonials from families of those in detention, a group of protesters stood off to the side holding a large banner that read, “Dignity not detention, end deportations.”

Five Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers approached this group of organizers and called in additional officers for back up. Eventually, two officers returned to attempt to pull the banner away from protesters but failed. When the DHS officers were unsuccessful in threatening protesters to retreat, they called in the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, which brought less-lethal crowd control weapons.

Arapahoe County sheriffs pushed the group of protesters forward and into the public street, where they eventually targeted four protesters who were then pulled from the group, handcuffed, and detained for around two hours within the ICE facility under Arapahoe County and ICE supervision before being released with state and federal citations.

Upon the protesters’ exit, the remaining crowd was chanting for each organizer's release. The organizers arrested included longtime organizers in the community Arnie Carter and Terry Burnsed, as well as Yoselin Corrales, an immigrant rights organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO.

After taking a moment to regroup, Corrales addressed the crowd, stating, “It’s far past the time to send a strongly-worded email, we need to show up and be willing to put more on the line for those facing injustice in our community!”

#CentennialCO #CO #AuroraCO #ImmigrantRights #ICE #Featured

Gilroy, CA – On Sunday, July 19, over 250 community members of all ages and backgrounds gathered at San Ysidro Park to protest the planned ICE facility under construction in Gilroy. The strategic placement of the ICE detention center, located in the southern region of Santa Clara County in Northern California, would allow for an increase in immigration enforcement activity, threatening surrounding communities.

The four-mile march to the detention center construction site began with lively chants demanding “Legalization for all” and “Justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, and Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán,” the most recent lives lost at the hands of ICE agents. Two of these most recent martyrs were shot by ICE in cold blood. The community also stood in solidarity with fellow immigrant rights activists by calling for “Hands off Nadia Topete!” and repeated “Shut it down!” just mere feet from the entrance of the ICE site.

Kímberly Cortéz-Solorio, an organizer with the Community Service Organization (CSO) San José, shared that the county of Santa Clara and the state’s attorney general are engaged in legal proceedings against ICE which have temporarily halted the construction. But they reminded the community to “celebrate cautiously,” not let down their guard and to continue to demand a permanent halt.

The second CSO San José speaker, Ariya Amin, called out the hypocrisy of ICE, which labels people as “illegal,” while ICE agents regularly commit illegal atrocities with impunity. From planning the ICE facility in unincorporated Gilroy, to arresting people without warrants, to committing severe and daily human rights violations, ICE's actions have been unlawful. Amin declared that this administration has a duty to obey “the will of [the] people,” and reminded attendees that it is up to el pueblo to ensure that our consent is considered and prioritized.

The crowd also heard from Huy Tran, the executive director of Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN). During his speech, Tran asked the community to reflect on how well we hold accountable those in power and to remind them who is actually in charge here: the people. Tran stressed the importance of having difficult conversations, continuing the struggle, and letting others “see the activation” by being civically engaged.

Edwin Salazar from the Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and Services asked the audience to imagine the implications of this ICE site and its proximity to beloved areas with high-immigrant populations, such as Gilroy and San José. Salazar shared how this country conditions its citizens via capitalism and urged the “community to collectivize” our resources to move forward.

Megan Sweet with Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke about the acceleration of “large-scale invasions by the DHS” and how the brutality of operations we see on national news has already been witnessed in our streets. Sweet shared the cases of Ulises Peña López, who was left disabled after a violent encounter with ICE and ultimately deported, and Guillermo Medina Reyes, who was arrested by federal agents and is currently facing a legal battle.

Representing Working Partnerships USA, Rebeca Armendariz announced that the Santa Clara County Counsel (who had filed a lawsuit against ICE) had won their request for a temporary injunction, putting on pause any construction work for the coming weeks. Despite ICE not being prepared with the paperwork, Armendariz shared, the true threat was the mobilization of the masses.

In early September, the construction of this ICE detention center will resume and Gilroy organizers affirm they will be there to greet it. The struggle they are building will outpace and outlast anything ICE constructs.

#GilroyCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Santa Ana, CA – El viernes, 17 de julio, varios miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC) entregaron una petición en el Tribunal de Inmigración de Santa Ana. En mayo de 2025, este tribunal fue uno de los primeros lugares donde el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) comenzó a arrestar personas. Desde entonces, CSO OC ha llevado a cabo una campaña para presionar a los jueces de inmigración a que trasladen todas las audiencias a un formato virtual, para evitar así que las personas que asisten a sus audiencias tengan que enfrentarse a ICE en el tribunal. Recopilaron más de 1000 firmas en apoyo a esta medida.

Aunque en junio de 2026 un juez de California dictaminó que ya no se permitirían arrestos dentro ni fuera de los tribunales de inmigración, los miembros de CSO OC mantuvieron sus exigencias.

Diana Terreros declaró, “CSO OC descubrió que los jueces contaban con una política, la PM21-03, que les permite realizar audiencias remotas cuando lo deseen. Al optar por no implementar audiencias virtuales universales, los jueces de este tribunal de inmigración han sido cómplices de los arrestos ilegales de ICE y han permitido que la agencia destruya a familias. Incluso ahora, persiste el riesgo de que ICE continúe deteniendo a personas en el tribunal a pesar del fallo judicial. ICE ha demostrado un desprecio total por la ley y por los derechos de las personas.”

Los miembros de CSO OC marcharon hacia el tribunal de inmigración portando dos carteles grandes con fotos de personas fallecidas bajo custodia de ICE y la consigna “Detención = Muerte”. Sostenían una pancarta que decía, “¡Alto a los arrestos de ICE en el tribunal!” Coreaban consignas como “¡Fuera ICE de nuestros barrios!” y “¡Sin justicia no hay paz! ¡Fuera ICE de nuestras calles!”

Steven Ayoub declaró, “Piensen en lo que eso le hace a una persona. Te ves obligado a tomar una decisión imposible: presentarte ante el tribunal y arriesgarte a ser arrestado, o faltar a la audiencia y ser deportado automáticamente por no comparecer. No existe una opción segura. Y quiero ser franco con ustedes sobre la gravedad de la situación, porque ya no se trata solo de detenciones. Tan solo el mes pasado, en Texas, un hombre llamado Lorenzo Salgado Araujo perdió la vida. Era un padre de tres hijos, de 52 años y originario de México, que llevaba décadas viviendo en Estados Unidos. La mañana del 7 de julio, fue baleado y asesinado por un agente de ICE en Houston.”

Ayoub continuó, “Menciono esto porque ilustra de qué estamos hablando realmente. Cuando la aplicación de la ley es tan agresiva y tan sin rendición de cuentas, una persona común que realiza actividades cotidianas—como conducir hacia el trabajo o acudir a una cita judicial— puede terminar detenida, o peor.”

Luis Morales Pedraza Babylon compartió su experiencia, “Actualmente estoy en el sistema de la corte solicitando la residencia permanente por matrimonio y desde que comenzaron todos estos asuntos de ICE, a veces es lo único en lo que pienso al irme a dormir. ¿Qué pasaría si me arrestan y me mandan a México? Me trajeron aquí cuando tenía cuatro años, así que realmente no sabría qué hacer allá.”

Al llegar al tribunal, entraron marchando portando sus pancartas y se encontraron con medidas de seguridad y detectores de metales. Una vez dentro, entregaron las peticiones en la ventanilla de atención. Habían impreso y dirigido una petición específica para cada uno de los 22 jueces. Al principio, el empleado no quería aceptarlas y tuvo que consultar a dos supervisores para obtener la autorización, a pesar de que la entrega de documentación de este tipo no es algo inusual. Al final, las peticiones fueron aceptadas y entregadas a los jueces.

CSO OC lucha por los derechos de los inmigrantes y por la rendición de cuentas de la policía. Si desea ponerse en contacto con CSO OC, puede hacerlo a través de Instagram en CSO.OC o por correo electrónico en orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #CSOOC

Tampa, FL – Some 50 people gathered in front of Tampa City Hall, Sunday, July 19, to honor the three lives recently stolen from their families and communities by ICE murderers. The protest was organized by the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee (TampaIRC) as a part of the Legalization for All national week of action.

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo from Houston, Texas, and Joan Sebastian Guerrero, from Maine, were gunned down when they were stopped by ICE in their vehicles. ICE claimed both men weaponized their vehicles – the same justification utilized when immigration enforcement killed Renee Good in Minneapolis in January. Videos that surfaced in all three cases contradicted the agency’s account. The other person killed was Juan Jairo Coronilla Duran, a tourist from Mexico, who was hit by a semi-truck as he ran away from ICE in St. Augustine, Florida.

No ICE agent has been arrested for their deaths.

Protesters chanted, “No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA,” “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” and, “When immigrants are under attack what do we do? Stand up fight back!”

Attention was also drawn to the grand jury investigation of Los Angeles-based immigrant rights activist Nadia Topete, a 21-year-old Chicana immigrant rights activist with Centro Community Service Organization in Los Angeles, who was targeted and subpoenaed by the FBI for her organizing work. She was called to appear before a grand jury where she exercised her right to stay silent.

Alvaro Montealegre, member of TIRC said, “it is clear she is facing repression for demanding justice for our immigrant and undocumented community members. We all stand in solidarity with Nadia and everyone facing repression for protecting the rights of immigrants. Today it’s Nadia; tomorrow it could be any one of us.”

The chair of the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee, said, “it's not enough to simply get rid of ICE. What we need is legalization for all. Because, before ICE, there was the Immigration and Naturalization Services, the INS, which was restructured into ICE. The violent tactics that we see from ICE existed long before ICE. We need legalization for all. Legalization for all would mean that immigrants would not be criminalized regardless of documentation status, without the need to give up the citizenship of their country of origin. We need to remove the basis that criminalizes us immigrants to begin with. If no one can ever be illegal on U.S. soil, there would be no need for ICE, Border Patrol, 287(g) agreements or whatever else the federal and state governments cook up.”

Before an enthusiastic crowd, they ended with the chant, “What do we want? Legalization! When do we want it? Now!”

The rally ended just in time, as heavy rain began to fall.

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ICE #NadiaTopete #LorenzoSalgadoAraujo #JoanSebastianGuerrero

On July 1st, Nadia Topete was given a subpoena to a grand jury that ordered her to speak on July 8th. Grand Jurys are kangaroo courts meant to bring down the hammer, evidenced by their 90% indictment rate. Law enforcement is not neutral when it comes to activists, like we’ve seen with Mahmoud Khalil and Alejandro Oreana. Law enforcement attacks activists to repress those fighting for a better world. We demand: Hands Off Nadia!

Nadia Topete, a member of Centro CSO, is an immigrant rights activist in Los Angeles. Centro CSO organizes self defense against racist and illegal ICE raids, that makes them heroes. Los Angeles is a city the Donald Trump administration attacked by mobilizing federal troops, even sending marines. This is because of the bravery and amazing work the people of Los Angeles have done in defending their immigrant neighbors. They tried going after Alejandro Oreana with federal charges after an FBI raid and WE BEAT THEM BACK!

SDS has been organizing sanctuary campus campaigns all over the country because we also understand the need to oppose the attacks on immigrants from Trump and his goons. We are standing with Nadia because we understand that this is an attack on the immigrant rights and people’s movement as a whole.

Hands Off Nadia!

#ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #NadiaTopete #SDS #StudentMovement #CentroCSO #CSFR

The Utah Anti-War Committee stands in solidarity with immigrant rights activist Nadia Topete. On July 1st, law enforcement came to the door of Nadia Topete, delivering her a second subpoena to testify in front of a grand jury due to her involvement in the 2025 protests against the occupation of Los Angeles by ICE and other federal police agencies working for Trump.

On July 8th, Nadia invoked her 5th Amendment right and refused to testify against fellow activists. We applaud her courage in doing so, and we recognize that Nadia has done nothing wrong by simply protesting.

#UT #ImmigrantRights #NadiaTopete #PoliticalRepression

On Monday, July 20, the Billings Alliance for Immigrant Rights (BAIR) rallied outside of Billings City Hall to demand justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastián Guerrero, two fathers from Texas and Maine who were murdered by ICE agents within the last two weeks. To prevent similar ICE violence in Billings, BAIR demanded city council pass an ordinance declaring Billings a sanctuary city.

The action also came during a period of heightened concern over immigration enforcement in Montana, after ICE raids and at least 100 detentions in Gallatin County, Montana earlier this month. The growing presence of ICE has intensified fear within immigrant communities across the state and has made local action to protect residents increasingly urgent.

After rallying outside city hall, participants entered the council chambers to deliver public comment at the city council meeting. Six community members attended the public comment period, carrying signs that read, “Justice for Lorenzo,” “Justice for Joan Sebastián Guerrero” and “Sanctuary city now!”

Before the meeting began, Billings Mayor Mike Nelson approached BAIR members and stated, “Signs are allowed, as long as they're not a distraction.” Nelson directed the activists to place the signs at their feet, so that they would not be visible in the meeting’s livestream video. The activists left their signs at their feet until the meeting started and lifted them to their laps once public comment began.

Lain Dorsey, an organizer with BAIR, set the tone of the meeting. “Lorenzo and Joan were fathers who were murdered by ICE. Nothing we say or do can bring these men back. But the city council can take action to prevent ICE from killing in Billings.”

Dorsey continued, speaking on the ICE raids in Gallatin County. “This mass kidnapping campaign took place just two hours away from us and somehow Mayor Nelson and the council cannot see how pressing this issue is! It's in our backyard!”

Tessa Miller, a mother and Billings Public Schools teacher, spoke on her fear of one of her students’ parents getting taken by ICE. Miller also stated, “as Montanans we have been taught to serve and welcome people to our state. I ask the council to stick up for Montana and our values.”

BAIR member Brooke Lynn spoke in support of a sanctuary city, “Most Montanans know that what's going on is not right. In school, you see a picture of the globe and everyone holding hands from around the world. That's not what's happening. I want to make sure that the city is safe for when my son is older.”

Since June, BAIR has emailed Mayor Nelson and the ten other members of council five times to request a meeting discussing this issue but has received no response. Monday’s demonstration was intended to bring those concerns directly before elected officials and encourage public accountability.

Mindy Nielsen, a member of BAIR and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) used her public comment to get a commitment to a meeting with the mayor stating, “Mayor, are you going to be able to get back to us?”

“This part of the meeting is for you to comment. It's not a back-and-forth,” Mayor Nelson cowered.

“How do we know you are ever going to respond? How do we get help with this?” Nielsen questioned. The entire council remained dead silent. “I think that's pretty shameful,” Nielsen stated.

The Billings Alliance for Immigrant Rights will continue organizing until city leaders take concrete steps to protect community members from federal immigration enforcement. To join the fight, attend a BAIR planning meeting, held every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Billings Public Library large conference room.

#BillingsMT #MT #ImmigrantRights #BAIR