Portlanders celebrate Dia de los Muertos and demand justice for ICE murders

Portland, OR – On November 1, almost 50 community members celebrated Dia de los Muertos with a march and vigil to honor the 64 people killed by ICE in 2026. The vigil was held in Ventura Park, which is on the same route where U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) pursued and shot Yorlenys Zambrano-Contreras and Luis Niño-Moncada on January 8 of this year.

Omar Gil, a founding member of the host organization Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), told the crowd that activists with PDXCD were at city hall trying to speak with city officials about ICE when news of the shooting broke out. 

Gil stated, “The terror tactics that Border Patrol and other federal agents employ, the dehumanization of immigrants, were showcased on that terrible day. While they were not murdered, it is clear that their lives have been destroyed.”

After the speeches, the crowd took to the street holding signs up high with names of those killed by ICE, chanting, “Stand up on your feet, killer ICE off our streets!” The crowd went around the block receiving waves and honks in support, with some drivers even slowing down to express their gratitude. 

The attendees marched back into the park where they could see the candles in the tamanalli (alter) all lit up. While entering the park, volunteers were handing out vigil candles, and the community started helping each other to light up their candles.

Protesters huddled and heard from the local group Latinx Choral, who sang the classical Día de Muertos song La Llorona and El Cóndor Pasa, a beautiful song about liberation and fighting oppression when Indigenous workers in Peru battled with the mine owners. 

After their performance, the musicians hummed with the guitar strumming while members of PDXCD, Beatriz Ibarra and Ivan Vargas, read aloud the 64 names of those killed by ICE. Later, a moment of silence was held, and the candles were blown out soon after.

The demand to shut down the Portland ICE facility was heard throughout the event. Ricardo Lopez spoke during the rally about the campaign to shut down the ICE facility on Macadam Avenue. 

Lopez said, “The pro-ICE slumlord Stuart Lindquist has submitted one appeal after another, which has held up the process in the Multnomah County Court. So, this November 20 we have the opportunity to pressure the judge hearing the case, Judge Steffen Alexander, to stop delaying this process.” The crowd chanted, “Revoke the permit” and “ICE out of Portland” and attendees sent emails to Judge Steffan Alexander, the judge overhearing the case. 

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