Thousands protest against Trump’s immigration policies on anniversary of second term
Thousands of Americans, including workers, students, and activists, have poured into the streets in cities across the United States to protest against President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policies.
The mass demonstrations, which took place on the first anniversary of Trump’s second term on Tuesday, were sparked by outrage over the actions of federal immigration enforcement agents.
One of the most shocking incidents that ignited the protests was the recent killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good, who was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis during an immigration enforcement operation.
The incident, in which she was dragged from her car before being shot, has fueled public anger and further intensified calls for change in the administration’s immigration approach.
The US Justice Department confirms it is not opening a criminal or civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of a mother by an immigration enforcement agent in Minneapolis.
From Washington, DC, to small towns like Asheville, North Carolina, demonstrators took to the streets in opposition to the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
In Washington, hundreds of protesters gathered, chanting slogans such as “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA,” reflecting growing concerns over the militarized actions of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Protesters also gathered at universities, with students in Cleveland, Ohio, chanting “No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here.”
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, high school students walked out of class to attend a “Stop ICE Terror” rally at the state capitol.
The protests were organized by a range of left-leaning groups, including Indivisible, 50501, and various labor unions, many of which have been critical of the administration’s use of force by federal agencies.
Grassroots organizations have also rallied against the conditions in immigrant detention facilities, with particular concern over a recent cluster of deaths at the El Paso detention center, where three detainees have died in the past six weeks.
US President Donald Trump is set to enforce his crackdown on immigration despite a probable backlash from critics.
Despite widespread criticism, the Trump administration has remained firm in its stance, asserting that it has a mandate from voters to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
Recent polling shows, however, that a majority of Americans disapprove of the harsh tactics used by federal agents in carrying out these policies.
The demonstrations are expected to continue, with more protests planned in major cities such as San Francisco and Seattle later in the day.
As the nation faces mounting debates over immigration, these protests highlight the growing divide over how best to handle the issue.
