Thousands Rally in Boston Demanding End to ICE Cooperation
A powerful exhibition in Boston drew thousands Saturday, calling for an end to collaboration between state and local authorities and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanding stronger protections for immigrant communities.
Boston Common served as the focal point for Saturday’s “ICE Out Everywhere” rally, a demonstration of solidarity with nationwide actions and a response to escalating ICE activity. The protest was organized by a coalition of local advocacy groups including Mass 50501, UU Mass Action, Indivisible Mass Coalition, Boston PSL, and MEJA.
The demonstration was sparked, in part, by the recent deaths of ICU nurse Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis at the hands of ICE agents.The events resonated deeply with healthcare workers like Jen Martin,who expressed her outrage,stating,”To see what they did to another nurse that was trying to help a woman that was injured is disgusting and inhumane. I could see myself wanting to help someone, and to get shot in the back multiple times is disgusting.”
Beginning at 11:30 a.m. in front of the State House, despite frigid temperatures, protesters gathered, holding handmade signs and listening to speakers. The Good trouble Brass Banda, a somerville-based non-profit band, provided an upbeat soundtrack to the demonstration.
Organizers and community leaders emphasized the need for sustained action and accountability from state officials. “We want to see Gov. Healey and the legislature do everything in their power. Some of the announcements this week are great, but keep going, make them as strong as possible,” said Karl Claire Miller, an organizer with Unitarian Universalist Mass Action. He added, “We have to show up in every way for our immigrant siblings and all vulnerable communities in Massachusetts. It’s imperative.”
For many, the current political climate evoked unsettling parallels to 1930s Europe. One protester,emma Boland,articulated the growing fear,saying,”We’re seeing people being murdered in the streets,pretty literally,and just general brutality coming from our government. We’re seeing children and families forcibly separated and pretty much what happened in Germany in the 40s, so can’t just sit by and let that happen.”
Personal connections to ancient tragedies further fueled the demonstrators’ resolve.Stewart Haviland carried a sign bearing his uncle’s photograph, a veteran killed at the Battle of the Bulge during WWII. “We really feel we’re living under a fascist government slowly disassembling our democracy,” Haviland stated. “It’s just so obvious history is repeating itself. There are just so many references to 1930s Germany and the build up to the Nazi regime. It’s just amazing that people are allowing this to happen.” Hubert murray, whose parents hosted refugees during WWII, echoed this sentiment, expressing concern that a similar era of European history is unfolding in America.
The issue resonated deeply with first-generation Americans like Lisa Davis, who asserted, “This nation was built on immigrants, and so it’s ironic that they’re trying to stop that. I believe that citizens of Boston need to make ourselves heard and support our neighbors and do anything we can to stop this horrible ICE infiltration in our cities.”
The protest occurred amidst a reported increase in ICE activity in Massachusetts, with “Operation Patriot 2.0” resulting in the arrest of over 1,400 individuals alleged to be undocumented.In response, Governor Healey announced plans to introduce legislation prohibiting ICE operations in “sensitive places” such as churches, healthcare facilities, and schools.
Members of the Boston Teachers Union were also present, demonstrating their solidarity. BTU president Erik Berg emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable children, stating, “Every child is deserving of a great education, is deserving of health care, is deserving of access to what this country has to offer. The fact that they’re being denied it through violence and terror is anathema to everything that we stand for, as teachers and as trade unionists.” Former social worker Nancy Hubbard expressed her devastation over family separations, describing the practice as “child abuse.”
Protesters chanted slogans such as “Hey,hey,ho,ho,deportation has got to go!” and “Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe!” as speakers addressed the crowd. Bill Torcaso, a Cambridge resident and frequent protest attendee, emphasized the need for equal justice under the law, stating, “ICE and immigration and all other aspects of it still don’t fall under equal justice under law.”
Local businesses across New England showed their support through various actions, including closures and displays of solidarity. Boston police monitored the event to ensure it remained peaceful, and no major incidents were reported.
As the rally concluded, attendees networked, shared resources, and began planning future actions, underscoring their commitment to influencing public policy and fostering community solidarity throughout Massachusetts. “I think it’s really easy to feel hopeless right now,” protester Manoela Dos Santos said. “Protests like this show that we can come out and gather in our cities. It’s really meaningful to have a say in what’s happening.”
