This story was updated at 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2026.
On Friday, Jan. 30, tens of thousands of Bay Area locals gathered at Dolores Park in the Mission District of San Francisco to peacefully protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The weekend was labeled the “ICE out of everywhere national day of actions,” with San Francisco holding one of the largest gatherings in the nation. At the scene, the park was filled with students and adults who didn’t attend school or work to show solidarity. The protesters brought handmade signs with creative slogans and powerful messages, and chanted together in unison.
Along with the various calls for reform regarding the nation’s immigration policies, hundreds of demonstrators also voiced their support for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Palestinian flags were being held across the entire park, and several speakers referenced U.S. foreign policy and its role throughout the region. Although the primary focus for most demonstrators attending the rally centered on ICE and federal immigration enforcement, pro-Palestinian signs were visible across the event.
Since the start of Donald Trump’s presidency, ICE agents have tracked down and deported over 500,000 undocumented immigrants from the United States. On Jan. 7, ICE protests intensified nationwide after Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and poet from Minneapolis, was shot and killed by agent Jonathan Ross. Two weeks later, ICE agents also shot and killed Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident and intensive care nurse. These actions sparked immense unrest as ICE agents were not only arresting and killing illegal immigrants, but American citizens as well.
In response to the two shootings, demonstrators organized a “nationwide shutdown” on Friday, Jan. 30, to protest federal immigration enforcement tactics. The shutdown not only included high-number rallies, but also a broader nationwide economic strike. The demonstrations took place in many cities across the country, with participants avoiding spending money, and some businesses closing their doors for the day to send an important message not only to the government, but also to people across the states.
Iyari Mejia, a junior and co-president of the Latinos Unidos club at Lowell High School, led her school’s walkout and spoke at the event before marching towards San Francisco City Hall.
“I’ve been protesting ever since I was in my mother’s womb,” Mejia said. “It’s in my blood.”
Many educators joined the demonstration, including Maggie Furey, a teacher at Guadalupe Elementary School. Furey spoke early in the event, preaching the importance of addressing the current state of ICE.
“[Americans] are using tax dollars [to fund] ICE, and people’s families are being broken apart,” Furey said. “We can see with data that they are not arresting only criminals.”
Despite the majority of students being under the voting age, many shared their concerns about the current state of America’s government, including Azha Elsaesser, a junior at El Cerrito High School.
“We’re the ones inheriting this country, so we need to make sure that this type of violence and injustice is not okay [in the future],” Elsaesser said.
Many undocumented immigrants have been forced to stay in their homes, silencing their voices, which is why the cause goes beyond foreign families speaking up; the whole nation is demanding change.
“If you’re not indigenous, someone in your lineage migrated here,” Mejia said. “This problem affects every single one of us, and it’s not just about immigrants anymore. It’s about the working class.”
The weekend of Jan. 30 saw over 300 protests across all 50 states, with demonstrators speaking out in hope of change.
“I hope that people will start to change their votes so that we can actually get politicians who listen to us,” Furey said.
