Dozens of people rallied in Grand Rapids on Monday hours after President Donald Trump was inaugurated to start his second term in office. They braved the single-digit weather to protest the Trump administration’s promise to deport undocumented immigrants en masse.
The rally and march began in Rosa Parks Circle with protestors carrying signs written in English and Spanish advocating against the separation of immigrant families.
Top of mind for protester Lester Dominguez as he marched was his parents, who he said have been living in the U.S. without legal status for 20 years.
“They used to be able to have driver’s licenses, but in 2008 they were not able to renew them and we had to rely on public transportation, walking to get from place to place, and I’ve seen how their lives have been shaken up from laws like that,” he said.
In 2008, Michigan lawmakers passed legislation prohibiting immigrants without legal status from being able to obtain a state ID or driver’s license.
One by one, speakers took to a microphone, calling for the end of deportation in the city of Grand Rapids.
“We declare that we will not allow ICE to prey on our community, tear families apart or abduct our immigrant workers,” said Gema Lowe, an organizer with the immigrant rights group Movimiento Cosecha. “We demand that local and state authorities declare their cities and counties as sanctuaries, prohibiting collaboration between local and state police with ICE.”
Rally volunteers passed out flyers inviting participants to join them on January 28 for the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting. At that meeting, activists are planning to urge city officials to declare Grand Rapids a sanctuary city.
There’s no official definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction. It’s a symbolic measure that some cities and counties have adopted to declare they don’t plan to cooperate fully with federal immigration enforcement. While local officials are not required to help the federal government, they also cannot interfere with Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts.
“I’m absolutely terrified of what he [Trump] plans to do,” Corina Vanduinen said as she joined others in blocking traffic in front of DeVos Place in downtown. “The way to protect Black and brown people and immigrant communities is joining together, and we need everybody to help and make noise for this.”
President Trump has promised to begin enacting the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history starting on day one of his presidency – which was Monday, coinciding with the demonstration in Grand Rapids.
