In a display of public sentiment, hundreds convened outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center in Los Angeles, voicing their demand for a "sanctuary ordinance in every city."
The rally, orchestrated by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, saw participants march a 1.5-mile stretch from the iconic Olvera street to a nearby ICE detention center. The gathering, held in observance of International Migrants Day, was a direct response to President-elect Donald Trump's proposed mass deportation plan.
According to Breitbart, an event organizer succinctly expressed the crowd's demand: "[We want] a sanctuary ordinance in every city." Among the attendees was Flor Martinez Zaragoza, a San Jose resident and a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Zaragoza spoke of the growing apprehension within her community, stating, "There's a lot of uncertainty and a lot of fear in the community."
Zaragoza further elaborated on her personal motivation for attending the rally, saying, "[My goal is] to stand in solidarity but also as somebody undocumented, somebody with DACA, my own rights are at risk. I'm not afraid, but I know a lot of people that are. I'm just here to show them they're not alone. There's people fighting back."
In the face of Trump's deportation plan, several Democrat mayors across the United States have pledged their opposition. Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was quoted saying, "More than us having [Denver Police Department] stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there." He added, "It's like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You'd have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them."
However, following significant backlash from Republicans, including Trump's incoming border chief, Mayor Johnston retracted his comments. He clarified that Denver would not assist in enforcing federal law, while encouraging his constituents to protest. This incident underscores the ongoing tension between conservative and liberal viewpoints on immigration policy, a debate that is likely to intensify under the incoming administration.
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