Community mobilization in Tacoma forces ICE to retreat

Tacoma, WA – More than 250 community members attended a seven-hour protest on Sunday, October 4, on the east side of Tacoma, where heightened ICE presence has terrorized the immigrant community. Organizations including the Puyallup Tribe, the Brown Berets, and Pierce County Immigration Alliance came to support members of the community who had called for a vocal presence rejecting immigration terror and defending the neighborhood from surging ICE patrols.

Many recent abductions have taken place on 72nd street, a major Tacoma arterial lined by taquerias, panaderias and street vendors. In the last week, marked ICE vehicles also started cruising through a shopping plaza parking lot and harassing the workers inside.

Public calls for a demonstration were met by the community, with organizers arriving on the scene as early as 7 a.m. to prepare. Within an hour, a crowd of nearly 100 had formed to wave signs, chant, and put a stop to ICE terror against the community. “My people don’t deserve to live in fear,” said one protester, Gabby Bernal-Amaral, about why she had decided to join the event.

“I have the privilege to speak up for my community,” shared Leanna Esquivel, another attendee. “I want to see a complete overhaul of all the systems that harm the human race. Oppressive systems, racism, xenophobia, have no place here!”

As attendees chanted rounds of “Chinga la migra” and “No están solos,” reports rolled in that several known ICE vehicles were headed towards the plaza. The community sprang into action. As ICE came into sight, the rallygoers blocked the road into the strip mall and yelled for ICE out. Surrounded by the people and outnumbered 40 to 1, one ICE van was forced to reverse back into the street, and two unmarked ICE cars were similarly identified and forced out. Two repeat attempts by ICE to come into the plaza were similarly pushed back, with undaunted protesters chasing down and surrounding the ICE vehicles until they retreated.

The rally continued into the afternoon, with music, food, and an outpouring of community support. Tamales, coffee, pizzas and pastries were brought in by neighbors and the workers of businesses surrounding the rally. The crowd remained steady at roughly 100 attendees throughout the event, with new people consistently arriving to support as others left for work, church, or to take care of children – and passing off their signs to the folks joining in. Over 500 commuters joined the demonstration, honking horns, hanging out of car windows and sunroofs, and raising fists in support of “ICE out!”

“The rally today was a big step in our community’s fight against immigration terror,” said Edgar Alvarez, an organizer with Pierce County Immigration Alliance. “We’ve been canvassing this area and our allies have been patrolling here for months because we know this is a hotspot for ICE’s terrorism, and today the community put their foot down and declared they’ve had enough of the state’s unwarranted violence.”

And this mobilization was just the beginning. Community members are planning to demonstrate again and continue the fight to push ICE out of Tacoma.

“Through actions like this, the community is rapidly learning to fight back,” Edgar continued. “I’m confident that the activists and community members involved will capitalize on this moment. We keep us safe from the thugs that have been plaguing our streets.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE