Tampa, FL – On January 20, hundreds of people gathered at Tampa City Hall to protest on the one-year anniversary of Trump’s second term. The event was organized by the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee as part of a national day of action called by Legalization for All and 50501 National.
Protesters held signs that read “Stop ICE murders”, “Fight Trump’s agenda”, and “Stop ICE terror.” The crowd chanted, “No boots on the ground, no ICE in our streets, end 287(g),” “Money for education, not for war and deportation” and “No Trump! No KKK! No racist USA.” The event received enthusiastic support from passing drivers.
The event had speakers from a variety of local struggles including the immigrants rights and anti-war movement.
In his first year, Trump spent billions everyday while making numerous cuts to programs like SNAP and Medicaid.
Allie Enriquez from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society said, “Trump and his lackeys scramble to start war with other countries to continue lining their own pockets with war money.”
Speakers emphasized the need to organize locally against the Trump agenda, especially around ICE and the need to end Tampa’s 287(g) agreement.
“We, here in Tampa, have a mayor and a police chief who have signed on to work with ICE through what’s known as a 287g agreement. That enables police to act as immigration agents, get trained, and paid, to work shoulder to shoulder with ICE in helping them abduct people,” said Joseph Nohava from TampaIRC. “We have taken up a campaign to get that agreement revoked, and this isn’t a theoretical problem, it’s a pressing issue because TPD has already taken $430 thousand to start training its cops to be immigration agents.”
Emma Rice, from the Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression stated, “With community control of the police, Tampa Police Department would never have been allowed to sign onto the 287(g) agreement.”
Speakers talked about the growing resistance and organizing against Trump’s attacks, highlighting the national response to the murder of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross and the immediate community response from Minneapolis.
“The resistance from last month alone has shown that people are not willing to take Trump’s attacks lying down,” said Lauren Piniero from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “Everywhere the forces of oppression go, they are met with bravery and defiance.”
TampaIRC ended the event with a call-to-action by passing out flyers directing people to call and email Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, and Tampa city council to demand an ordinance to end Tampa’s 287(g) agreement.
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