Protesters gathered at the intersection of Chapman Ave. and Tustin St. in Orange, Calif. on Sunday morning rallying against the sudden increase in nationwide ICE raids after the president declared a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States on Jan. 20.
Over 50 people came to show their support for the protest and represent themselves, their friends, or their families. They stayed protesting at the intersection for about two hours before making their way down Chapman Ave around noon, carrying different colorful signs with either puns that mocked Donald Trump or Elon Musk or statements regarding the legality of diverse people on stolen land and chanting phrases such as, “The people united will never be divided.”
“I’m here to speak for those that can’t,” said protester Estefani Ramirez, “I feel my feet on solid ground and I can finally use my voice for what I want to stand up for.”
Translation for the right sign: “The people united will never be defeated!!” (Eli Young)
Ramirez, like many others at Sunday’s protest, has been living with a constant fear of losing her family members to ICE raids or checkpoints.
Alyssa Saldadña, a 23-year-old actor, details how she has been affected by deportations.
“In the 3rd grade, my best friend’s dad got deported,” said Saldadña. “I’ll never forget all of us crying and him telling us, ‘You guys are all I have, you guys are the best friends I’ve ever had in my life.’”
Another protester, 35-year-old Efrain Reyes, has had his share of run-ins as well. Reyes was 10 years old when he came to the U.S. He lived here as an undocumented immigrant for about 15 years before he was able to gain legal status.
“I have friends that have been deported, family members that have been deported,” said Reyes. “I have family members that have passed away crossing the border.”
After the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 and the pro-Palestine protests in 2024, acts of protest can be seen as a great safety risk from both police forces and opposing protesters. Black Lives Matter protests were reported as riots where police used excessive force including tear gas and rubber bullets. At pro-Palestine rallies, fights broke out between demonstrators and pro-Isreal demonstrators.
At a pro-immigration protest in LA on Friday, a 17-year-old was stabbed in front of city hall, but even with these safety risks, people still gather with their communities to make their voices heard.
“I’m risking a lot by not being here,” said Reyes. “I’m risking having my people continue to be oppressed, and fighting in life-or-death situations because of rich people in control.”
As people protested, many cars honked their horns in support, but it didn’t stop others from shouting racial slurs and comments. Protesters were told to go back to where they came from and were called criminals. “Go, Trump!” was shouted out from their car windows as they drove by.
“I want people to understand that everybody is human,” said Saldadña. “You can take off your MAGA hat at any time of the day but we can’t stop being brown.”