Thousands of protesters gathered on Sunday in Los Angeles to demonstrate against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, blocking a key highway for hours.
Local press reported that the protest began on Olvera Street. Those who gathered then walked to City Hall before making their way to the 101 Freeway. Many protesters held Mexican flags, while others could be seen with those of Honduras and Guatemala.
The California Highway Patrol's Transportation Management Center closed lanes in both directions while people marched, sometimes erupting in chants. Police eventually declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and forced protesters to disperse. By 8 pm local time the people were dispersed and the 101 Freeway reopened. There were no reports of arrests.
The Pew Research Center detailed last year that there were 1.8 million undocumented immigrants in California in 2022, with 8% of households having at least one person with such a status in the state. The figure represents over 10% of the 11 million people believed to have an irregular status in the country at the moment.
As well as the proportion of undocumented immigrants in the state, California has featured prominently in the immigration news cycle given the state's reluctance to cooperate with the Trump administration's crackdown. Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have pledged to keep the state and city's sanctuary status and won't aid ICE as it seeks to enforce the government's directives.
Such an example can be found in Sacramento, as the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting undocumented students and their families.
With federal immigration authorities now permitted to make arrests at schools, reversing a long-standing policy that designated them as off-limits, many Sacramento-area families fear sending their children to school.
To address these concerns, SCUSD officials met with nonprofit and community leaders, emphasizing their Safe Haven policy and ensuring parents that school campuses remain a safe space for all students, Fox40 reported.
However, ICE is using other tools at its disposal to fulfill its mission, with stories surfacing about migrants in the state saying they were deported to Mexico after showing up for immigration proceedings.
Two different people recounted their experiences while talking to local press. "We are arranging an immigration procedure, and I went and presented myself and they detained me," Miguel Angel Ramirez told Telemundo 20. He was taken from Bakersfield to Tijuana last week.
Another migrant who only identified by his first name said he was handcuffed and deported after presenting himself before ICE authorities in Madera. He claimed to be in the middle of a process to get a U visa, but was deported while "arranging papers." "They took everything from us. I left my wife out there, she was waiting for me," he added.
The stories have repeated themselves across the country, leading many migrants to consider whether to show up to their appointments. NBC News detailed that thousands of undocumented immigrants report to ICE on a regular basis every day, helping officials keep track of those who are not a priority for deportation as they seek legal pathways to remain in the country.
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