More than 1,000 people gathered in Chicago’s Loop on Tuesday to protest the ongoing immigration raids conducted by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The demonstrations, part of a series of rallies across the city, were organized to voice opposition to recent arrests made by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to show solidarity with immigrant communities.
Mariana Gonzalez and Lizbeth Alvarez, both 16 and walking downtown, were drawn to the protests by the sound of chanting nearby.
Gonzalez, whose parents are immigrants from Mexico, expressed her concern for their safety, stating, ‘I thought the raids would stop, but they’re just getting worse.’
Alvarez added, ‘No matter how small, we’re using our voices and it sends a message.’
Several social justice organizations coordinated the protests, with various demonstrations scheduled throughout the week.
An initial rally commenced at 3 p.m. outside the immigration court at 50 E. Adams St., while another more extensive protest began at Federal Plaza at 5:30 p.m.
Organizers announced a significant mass protest for Saturday, underscoring the continued commitment to advocating for immigrant rights.
The lead organizer of the 3 p.m. rally remains unclear, though the Lake Effect Collective posted information about the event on Instagram, calling for an ‘autonomous demo outside the immigration courthouse.’
The federal plaza protest was organized by the Party for Socialism & Liberation, Casa DuPage, the ANSWER Coalition, along with other advocacy groups.
In a statement, they explained their purpose: to defend immigrant rights and oppose extreme-right, anti-immigrant sentiment.
Nino Brown from the Party for Socialism and Liberation criticized the Democratic Party for inaction, asserting, ‘As the Democratic Party stands idly while the assault on free speech and immigrant rights continues, working-class people of color, who are the most disproportionately impacted by an attack on immigrant rights, are organizing to fight back and protect our communities.’
The first demonstration proceeded peacefully as several hundred individuals marched from immigration court towards Federal Plaza.
By 5:30 p.m., the crowd swelled to around 1,000.
Tension escalated momentarily when protesters clashed with police officers who were preventing access to Jackson Boulevard from State Street.
Despite the push-and-shove interactions, there were no arrests made, and protesters redirected their march westward along State Street.
As the two protests converged near Federal Plaza around 6 p.m., attendees began marching north along Dearborn Street.
Diego Morales, chair of the 25th Ward Independent Political Organization, took to the microphone to address the audience about the severe impact of ICE’s recent arrests in immigrant neighborhoods such as Pilsen.
‘Who is the lawless one? Who is the criminal? Trump is the criminal,’ Morales asserted.
He emphasized that the issue was not just one of racism or xenophobia, but one that was fundamentally anti-human.
Participants at the protest included families and individuals from various backgrounds.
Maria Johnson, 23, reflected on the disheartening reality many immigrants face.
‘I think that everybody deserves a chance,’ she said.
Johnson noted the emotional toll of seeing distressing accounts of immigration raids on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
‘I just don’t think that’s America I thought I was gonna have to deal with,’ she lamented.
The protests were ignited by a recent wave of arrests, which saw at least 10 immigrants taken into custody last week in the South Loop after showing up for scheduled immigration appointments.
These events prompted local advocates and officials to intervene in an attempt to stop the arrests from occurring.
In the days that followed, activists rallied outside an immigration processing center in Broadview, demanding the release of those detained.
Similar demonstrations have taken place recently, including a rally in Pilsen on Sunday and another at Daley Plaza on Monday to denounce ICE’s actions and President Trump’s implementation of a new travel ban affecting numerous predominantly African and Middle Eastern nations.
The protests in Chicago are connected to nationwide demonstrations occurring in cities like Los Angeles, where protesters express their outrage over the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to assist in immigration raids without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
As tensions continue to grow, statewide officials like Newsom are responding by taking legal action, asking a federal court to block the federal administration’s use of military forces for immigration purposes, arguing that it exacerbates community tensions.
On Tuesday, a court hearing regarding this request was scheduled for Thursday.
In Chicago, the advocacy organization Indivisible Chicago has announced plans for a major ‘No Kings Day of Defiance’ protest at noon on Saturday.
This event will align with similar protests across more than 1,000 cities as a collective response to the ICE arrests and the broader policies of the Trump administration.
The rallies aim to counter a military parade organized to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, emphasizing the call for action against ICE and other oppressive governmental measures.
Organizers of the protests stated, ‘President Trump wants you to believe that the people of Los Angeles are destroying their own communities.
That’s false.
Here’s the truth: people are peacefully and lawfully protesting the Administration’s abuses of power and the abduction of their neighbors by ICE.’
As the protests scheduled for later this week unfold, Chicago continues to see a strong, unified response from individuals dedicated to defending immigrant rights and pushing back against federal enforcement efforts.
image source from：https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/06/10/protests-chicago-ice-raids-los-angeles
