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Nationwide Anti‑ICE Protests Erupt Across US as Demonstrations Turn Violent in Los Angeles

By The South Asia Times

WASHINGTON - Massive protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies swept across the United States Friday, drawing thousands into the streets from coast to coast in what activists called a “National Shutdown” against federal immigration enforcement.

In Los Angeles, tensions escalated outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building as demonstrators clashed with federal agents and law enforcement, with objects thrown and chemical irritants deployed to disperse crowds.

Protesters erected makeshift barriers and confronted agents in tactical gear, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to declare a tactical alert amid the unrest.

The demonstrations were part of a broader wave of protests triggered by recent immigration enforcement operations and the fatal shootings of civilians by federal agents in Minneapolis, including the widely reported deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Rally organizers called for an end to ICE’s presence and urged cuts to federal enforcement funding under the slogan “ICE Out of Everywhere.”

Major rallies held in Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Providence and several other cities

The protests were bolstered by walkouts from students, workers, and community groups, as well as spontaneous closures of businesses in major metropolitan areas. Organizers had encouraged supporters to skip work, school, and shopping to intensify pressure on lawmakers and the Trump administration.

The demonstrations reflect growing frustration with aggressive immigration enforcement tactics and federal overreach, especially in communities with large immigrant populations.

In some cities, clashes with law enforcement led to arrests and injuries, and federal civil rights investigations have been launched into several incidents that sparked the unrest.

As protests continue into the weekend, activists vow to maintain pressure through additional actions and rallies, signaling that the anti‑ICE movement has taken on a broader national dimension.