JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Protests unfolded in Missouri’s capital city Sunday, drawing attention to both ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement and the escalating international crisis following a joint U.S.-Israel military operation in Iran. Demonstrators gathered to voice opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies, but the recent military action quickly became another focal point of the demonstration.
The protest was initially organized to address what participants described as a crackdown on immigration and concerns about federal agent conduct. Yet, news of the attack on Iran, confirmed by President Donald Trump on Saturday, added another layer of urgency and outrage to the gathering. The operation, which reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has sparked widespread international reaction and raised fears of further escalation. According to reports, the attack similarly resulted in the deaths of 107 students in an elementary school, a claim Iranian officials have made, as reported by ABC News.
“A war in Iran killing 107 students in an elementary school, killing a supreme leader, is unacceptable,” said Khyron Cooper, a Fulton resident participating in the protest. “We should be going for peace, love and changing perspectives instead of celebrating war and killing people.” Cooper referenced a Facebook post from Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe acknowledging Iran as a threat to the U.S. And calling for prayers for the safety of military personnel.
A History of Tension and a Fresh Military Action
The U.S. And Iran have experienced decades of strained relations, a dynamic a political science professor at the University of Missouri told ABC 17 News dates back over 40 years. While successive presidents have adopted varying foreign policy approaches toward Iran, Trump’s administration marks the first to engage in direct military action against the country. This recent joint operation with Israel represents a significant escalation in that relationship.
Shelby Dorfman, a protester from Columbia, expressed frustration with the situation. “This has absolutely nothing to do with the greater good and about being a part of community. This is just absolutely ridiculous,” Dorfman said. “This does not have to be our lives, we do not have to let this happen.”
Jordan Herrera, a veteran who traveled from Kansas City to join the protest, drew on his own experiences to question the rationale behind the attack. “I’m a person who served in Iraq and Afghanistan on the premise that there were weapons of mass destruction, which we never found,” Herrera said. He questioned the justification for military intervention, particularly regarding claims about Iran’s missile capabilities. “If the Trump Administration is now going to say that they (Iran) have the ability to develop a missile, meaning they don’t have the missile technology today, they require to develop it, I don’t understand why we’re bombing Iran.” Herrera is also a candidate for Missouri’s 4th Congressional District, currently held by Republican Mark Alford.
The protest also saw a display of dissent directed at ICE itself. One protester carried a sign with a pointed message: “Let ICE show us what tough guys they are, send them to Iran to fight.”
Focus on ICE Detention and Deportation
While the international crisis loomed large, the core focus of the rally remained on protesting ICE policies and what demonstrators described as brutality towards citizens and non-citizens. Robert Olsen shared the story of his friend, Owen Ramsingh, who was detained by ICE in September on charges related to past drug offenses. Ramsingh was subsequently deported to the Netherlands in February.
Olsen described the emotional toll on Ramsingh, particularly given the recent loss of his daughter. “His daughter passed away about 11 months ago, and he’s been incarcerated in the ICE detention camp for five months,” Olsen said. “How do you think you’d be feeling? He’s traumatized.” Ramsingh reportedly detailed the conditions within the El Paso detention facility in a Facebook post after arriving in the Netherlands, alleging poor conditions, abuse, and incidents of homicide, as reported by ABC 17 News.
Olsen is planning to visit Ramsingh in the Netherlands this Wednesday. Dorfman echoed the sentiment of frustration and sadness surrounding Ramsingh’s case. “Because of how upsetting it is to see someone who changes Columbia in such a positive way to be taken from his home just because he went to visit his family members,” she said.
The convergence of these two distinct but interconnected issues – the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing debate over immigration policy – underscored a sense of unease and urgency among the protesters in Jefferson City. The events of the past weekend have brought these concerns into sharp focus, prompting calls for peace, accountability, and a reevaluation of U.S. Foreign and domestic policies.
As the situation in Iran continues to unfold, and the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which took effect on June 24, 2025, remains a fragile peace, the focus will likely shift to the international response and potential diplomatic efforts. The next steps in the U.S. Response to the attack on Iran, and the potential for further military action, remain uncertain. Readers seeking information and support related to crisis mental health resources can find assistance through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at https://www.samhsa.gov/.
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