Mass Deportations
Photo from the LA protest on Feb. 2, 2025
By Ana Velasquez, February 7th 2025
January 20th, 2025, day of inauguration, Donald Trump signed a string of executive orders targeting immigration and sending military troops to the southern boarders, announcing ICE raids happening in various cities all over the U.S.
Number of immigrants deported or detained since January 20th is not confirmed or known.
The second day of Donald Trump’s inauguration, a mass deportation started in Chicago. Many U.S. citizens documented ICE cars and trucks going all over their cities and arresting illegal immigrants the agents found.
Along with the raids, Trump took off an Immigration policy that limited ICE agents from entering schools, churches and healthcare facilities, before known as safe places to hide immigrants. But many schools have issued warnings to parents letting them know they will not allow ICE agents in without talking and having a warrant. So far, no schools have had to comply.
Following the mass deportation raids many U.S citizens have attended days of protests in many states across the country against the raids. The protests in California included school walkouts and protesters taking over the streets of LA, even getting onto freeway 101, backing up traffic and having police block out a portion of the freeway to stop protestors from dangerous situations. The protests being mostly peaceful as protesters did not want these events to be seen as anything dangerous or violent.
Including “A Day Without Immigrants” where Hispanic/Latino people we, immigrants and supporters were inspired not attend school, work, and to not buy or spend money at any company. Many companies closed their doors in support of immigrants. Various teachers reported empty or almost empty classrooms, costing schools some federal funding due to how many students were missing.
A day to show how America would be without having immigrants in the country with people planning on scheduling other days like these since some people weren’t able to miss work on such short notice.
Many people have also avoided shopping at businesses like Walmart, McDonald’s, Chevrolet, Buffalo Wild Wings, Publix, Sam’s club, Target and many other companies who dropped their DEI programs, (An organizational framework that practice and include fair diversity treatment of all people in workplaces) in protest of them not supporting immigrants. Lots seeing this as a relief as many or saving lots of money not bringing themselves to not support businesses that don't support them and motivating many to shop at local Mexican and local shops including small businesses with many of the bigger corporations being completely or almost empty.
