This weekend, a wave of outrage is sweeping across the United States as over 300 protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are set to take place in all 50 states and Washington DC. Dubbed “ICE Out of Everywhere,” this nationwide movement is a powerful response to a string of recent tragedies involving federal immigration agents. But here's where it gets controversial: activists argue these incidents are not isolated events but part of a larger, disturbing pattern of excessive force, detention abuses, and the militarization of immigration enforcement. And this is the part most people miss: the human cost behind the headlines.
Organized by the grassroots group 50501, these protests are fueled by grief and anger over the deaths of individuals like Alex Pretti and Renee Good, fatally shot in Minneapolis, Geraldo Campos, who died in a Texas detention facility, and Keith Porter Jr., killed by an off-duty ICE officer in Los Angeles. These cases, some caught on camera and others not, have shattered the illusion of safety for many, exposing the harsh realities of immigration enforcement under the current administration.
Hunter Dunn, a national press coordinator for 50501, explains, “This national day of action is about standing up against the escalating aggression the Trump administration has directed at the American people over the past year. The stories of Porter, Campos, and countless others have opened eyes to just how dire the situation has become.”
The protests take many forms: vigils for those killed or detained by ICE, overpass banner displays, sidewalk demonstrations, marches, and community training sessions. These trainings aim to teach people how to monitor ICE activities and pressure elected officials to take a stand against the administration’s immigration crackdown. From California to Maine, demonstrators are gathering outside ICE detention centers, field offices, and congressional district offices. Airports are also focal points, with protesters targeting airlines like Global Crossing Airlines for their role in federal deportations.
But it doesn’t stop there. Protesters are demanding lawmakers withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security until ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are removed from communities. While Democratic senators have agreed to advance government spending bills to avoid a shutdown, they continue to push for ICE reforms, including a code of conduct and independent investigations into its operations. Is this enough, or does ICE need a complete overhaul?
The movement is also hitting where it hurts: economically. The “No Housing for ICE” campaign urges boycotts of hotels that provide lodging to immigration enforcement agents, while “#DontServeICE” calls on local businesses to refuse service to federal immigration officers. Major corporations like Target and Home Depot, where ICE has detained shoppers and employees, are also being targeted, with protesters demanding they take a stand against these practices.
Saturday’s protests build on weeks of demonstrations that began after Renee Good’s shooting on January 7. The movement gained momentum on January 23, when tens of thousands marched in Minnesota, calling for a “No work, no school, no shopping” strike that shut down hundreds of businesses. A week later, a national shutdown saw thousands participate in protests across the country, from high school walkouts in Knoxville, Tennessee, to business closures in Seattle.
“Today’s actions are a continuation of the momentum we’ve built,” says Dunn. “In Los Angeles, we’re picking up right where we left off, united in our push against ICE’s harm to our communities.”
Yet, organizers stress that their core demands—including legal accountability for ICE officers who kill civilians—remain unmet. Is this a failure of the system, or a reflection of deeper societal divides?
Minister Janae Bates Imari, co-executive director of the Minneapolis interfaith group Isaiah, captures the spirit of resilience: “Despite the fear and intimidation from our own government, we have not been silenced. We need more people to join us until ICE is no longer a threat to our communities.”
As these protests unfold, one question lingers: Can a grassroots movement truly dismantle a system as entrenched as ICE, or is this just the beginning of a much longer battle? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
