Students and Workers Observe “Day Without Immigrants” to Protest Rising ICE Raids and Detentions
Students and workers gathered in cities across the United States on March 3 to take part in a “Day Without Immigrants” protest. The demonstration was a response to President Trump’s strict immigration policies and increased deportation efforts. Since taking office, Trump has been targeting immigrant communities, aiming to fulfill his campaign promise of deporting 15 to 20 million people. Protesters used the event to show the vital role immigrants play in society and to stand against the government’s crackdown.
The Trump administration has faced major obstacles in its mass deportation efforts, partly due to the limited capacity of ICE detention centers. In response, the government has been trying to speed up deportations through a process called “expedited removal,” which allows authorities to deport individuals without a court hearing. A leaked ICE memo from February, obtained by the Washington Post, shows that immigration officials have been directed to target a broad range of immigrants, including those who entered unlawfully, those who arrived legally but did not apply for asylum, and those who presented themselves at U.S. ports of entry without proper documents.
As Trump and his border czar, Thomas Homan, push forward with these aggressive policies, workers and students have been organizing nationwide protests in opposition. On March 3, activists across the country participated in a “Day Without Immigrants,” demonstrating against mass deportations and standing in solidarity with immigrant communities.
Activists in the immigrant rights movement, including socialist presidential and vice-presidential candidates Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia, played a key role in mobilizing support for the “Day Without Immigrants” protest. They urged people to refrain from working, shopping, or attending school as an act of solidarity with immigrant communities. Calls to action circulating on social media emphasized the strength and essential contributions of immigrants, stating, “We are essential, we are strong, we are a community.”
De la Cruz, the socialist candidate for the 2024 presidential election, reinforced this message on social media, highlighting the deep economic and social contributions of immigrants in the U.S. She condemned the government’s hypocrisy in benefiting from immigrant labor while simultaneously criminalizing and dehumanizing immigrant communities.
“We must show our strength as a people—immigrants, workers, students, all communities,” she declared. “Migration is not a crime! No human being is illegal!”
Students at Overfelt High School in San Jose walking out of school in protest.
In Los Angeles, hundreds rallied in Mariachi Plaza in the heart of the Chicano/Mexican neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Organizations involved in the march include the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), Los Jornaleros Del Norte, a musical group active in the immigrant rights movement, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Demonstrators then marched through the city of Los Angeles, holding signs with slogans including “ICE: Out of our communities” and “The people demand: Stop the deportations!”
️¡Aquí estamos, y no nos vamos!
Los Angeles marches as part of the Day Without Immigrants to say that immigrants make our country run – and we will continue to build solidarity and fight against the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant agenda! pic.twitter.com/t8xRM634Wc
— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) March 3, 2025
In New Jersey, activists rallied outside of an ICE detention center in Elizabeth. Demonstrators held signs with slogans such as “No raids, no detention, no deportation,” “No prisons for profit,” and “Fuera CoreCivic,” in reference to the for-profit corporation, CoreCivic, that is contracted to run the Elizabeth Detention Center. For-profit corporations are contracted by the government to run the vast majority of immigrant detention centers due to the ballooning population of migrant detainees, which often results in lowered accountability and increased abuse of prisoners.
At the University of Southern California (USC), hundreds of custodial workers with Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) marched with students for a fair contract with the university.
HAPPENING NOW: In Los Angeles, hundreds of USC custodial workers are marching with students and unions for a fair contract and immigrant worker rights. pic.twitter.com/O4q3gwJDzw
Source:: Peoplesdispatch