Thousands demonstrated, students walked out of class and some businesses shut their doors Friday around Utah to protest the crackdown on illegal immigration by federal agents around the country.
“It’s good to see everyone come together,” Mariah Castro said at a demonstration at Washington Square in Salt Lake City, which drew thousands.
Kimberly Barron echoed that, saying the immigrant community has seemed to garner little support.
“No one else is standing up for us,” she said, noting the fear of many of her immigrant family members. “We can’t leave our house.”
The demonstration was one of many planned for Friday up and down the Wasatch Front by critics of the immigration crackdown, part of a national day of protesting. Around 150 students at Bountiful High School walked out of class for a 35-minute protest along Orchard Drive in front of the school — one of many demonstrations by high school students in Utah.
“We’re just trying to make our voices heard,” said John Alley, a Bountiful High junior who helped lead the demonstration. “Even though we’re not really affected too much here, we believe that we should be standing up for those that aren’t able to stand up for themselves.”
Like others, he referenced the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis at the hands of immigration agents earlier this month, lamenting their deaths and the violent turn of the federal immigration crackdown in places like Minnesota.
Indra Meza, another Bountiful High student, isn’t opposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials going after criminals, but she worries about them going too far. “I agree that we’re trying to get drug dealers or any bad people who immigrated here, just trying to do bad things. Yes, we should get them out. But families who are just trying to make a living, we should help them,” she said, noting the difficulties her uncle from Peru has faced in securing paperwork to stay in the country.
In the Sugar House section of Salt Lake City, some businesses closed for the day on Friday or closed down early as a show of solidarity with the protesters and the push against the immigrant crackdown, viewed by foes as heavy-handed.
“There’s an obligation to do what’s right in this moment,” said Calvin Asch, owner of Central Book Exchange, which closed at 1 p.m. as part of the “national strike,” as some have dubbed Friday’s activities.
He worries the recent moves by immigration agents and the administration of President Donald Trump run contrary to the U.S. Constitution and the values of many in Sugar House.
“I would say this is a part of Salt Lake that is very proud to stand with everyone regardless of nationality, gender and any other difference we may have. We’re very proud to stand together,” he said.
Down the street, Sugar House Coffee also planned to close early on Friday as a show of support for the protesters. The shop planned to donate 20% of sales from Friday to a Minneapolis cafe that has been adversely affected by the enforcement action and disruption.
“We want to support our neighbors who are impacted by ICE,” said Charlie May, who was cleaning tables at the cafe shortly before it was to close.
Around 30 students from Salt Lake Center for Science Education, a charter school, walked out of class and marched to the state Capitol, briefly demonstrating outside the building shortly before noon. Yaretzi Corona, a sophomore at the school who has family members from Mexico, said the action was meant as a show of support for immigrants.
“We just want to fight back and show we’re not scared,” she said.
The Washington Square demonstration drew thousands, judging by aerial photos of the massive crowd. Many carried signs calling for the end of ICE and denouncing the Trump administration.
Though raucous at times, it was largely peaceful though witnesses reported the detention of at least two people by police. Protesters holding a sign reading “Abolish ICE” blocked the southbound lanes of the 150 block of State Street after the demonstration, prompting a police response, according to photos supplied to KSL. Police didn’t immediately respond to queries seeking comment.
“My duty to protest this tyranny,” said Thomas Camoin, one of the protestors. “I’m not doing my job if I’m not here.”
Thomas Cole of Spanish Fork attended the Washington Park demonstration with his wife and two young children. He offered supportive words for the immigrant community. “I disagree with the whole premise that these people are criminals because we have unjust laws that make it impossible to get visas,” he said.
He also had tough words for immigration agents. “They’re like a grunt force militia. It seems completely outside the realm of the power of the executive branch to be able to do things like this. This is a gross overreach of power,” he said.
The Washington Park demonstrators subsequently marched south to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices in Salt Lake City. Viewed from camera footage above them, they filled an entire city block.
Students at Northridge High School and Herriman High School, among many others, also protested on Friday. Other demonstrations on Friday were slated for Ogden, Orem and other Utah cities.