More than 100 people gathered peacefully outside City Hall on the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
SAN ANTONIO — Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations spread across the country on Tuesday, including in San Antonio.
More than 100 people gathered peacefully outside City Hall, marking the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and voicing opposition to immigration enforcement policies under his administration.
The demonstrations come after weeks of protests in Minneapolis, where ICE agents were involved in two shootings within a matter of weeks, including one that resulted in a death. The incidents have fueled renewed scrutiny of ICE’s tactics and accountability nationwide.
Earlier Tuesday, a man accused of ramming his vehicle into an ICE agent’s car at a San Antonio Walmart was released from federal custody. Defense attorneys argued in court that the vehicles involved were not clearly marked and questioned whether agents verified the man’s license plate information before taking action.
At the San Antonio rally, protesters said ICE operations have harmed families and disrupted local communities. Several speakers questioned the agency’s focus, arguing that many people taken into custody do not have criminal records.
“It’s very important to speak out because America is a melting pot,” protester Rebeca McCarty said. “Let’s keep it that way.”
President Trump, meanwhile, has defended ICE’s actions, saying the agency targets dangerous criminals. He has credited his administration with ending wars and strengthening immigration enforcement.
“They’re apprehending murderers and drug dealers and a lot of bad people,” Trump said. “And these are just some of the more recent ones.”
Opponents at the rally disputed that characterization. The president of the San Antonio Independent School District employee union told the crowd that increased immigration enforcement has had ripple effects in public education.
“Every dollar going to arming ICE is a dollar taken away from our public schools,” Alejandra Lopez said.
Lopez also claimed that declining student enrollment could be linked to ICE activity, saying parents of students and district employees have been taken into custody.
Other speakers referenced the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, which occurred nearly two weeks ago during an ICE operation and remains a focal point of national protests.
“I don’t know all the laws that govern legal and illegal immigration,” one woman said. “But I’m pretty certain it doesn’t include killing people and taking legal immigrants and U.S. citizens and throwing them in jail for nothing.”
ICE officials have said operations will continue nationwide, including in San Antonio. In response, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has called a special City Council session scheduled for Thursday to discuss the San Antonio Police Department’s relationship with ICE.
The meeting is set for 1 p.m. at City Council chambers and will include an opportunity for public comment. You can sign up here ahead of time to speak.