Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Sunday afternoon at Dallas City Hall to protest against arrests and stepped-up raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the past several days.
The Dallas rally was part of a nationwide protest calling for “Legalization for all and an end to unjust immigration policies,” organizers said in an email to The Dallas Morning News.
Protesters carried a sea of Mexican and American flags as speakers took turns expressing their anger and frustration over Trump’s rhetoric and recent order to increase deportations.
As one speaker shared testimony of growing up with undocumented parents, the crowd chanted in response, “No estas sola.” In English, “You are not alone.”
Under blue skies and sunshine, dozens of cars drove down Young Street, honking in support, with some people holding signs or waving flags out their windows.
Several Dallas police officers stood on sidewalks to monitor the activity after warning downtown residents and businesses in advance to prepare for heavy traffic and street closures near City Hall as well as on Houston, Young and Main streets.
The event was largely peaceful and there were no immediate reports of arrests.
Protesters marched down Young Street toward the Trinity River with the street cleared by police. Chants of “Si se puede” and “Trump! Escucha! Estamos a la lucha!” filled the street.
They continued toward the river on Elm Street, taking up about two city blocks as they marched. Signs read “I prefer my ice crushed,” “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” and “Immigrants make America great.”
The marchers’ route through the streets of downtown Dallas brought curious spectators and supporters outside to observe what was happening on a weekend day that is usually sleepy and quiet. No counterprotesters were spotted.
After returning to Dallas City Hall, the march was greeted by loud, upbeat music and a group waving flags from several countries. Some marchers danced and some shouted in celebration.
Kayla Perry, a commercial truck driver, drove in from Aubrey in Denton County to march in the protest. She said she came to show support for the immigrants in her family since her grandparents left poverty in Mexico to pursue new opportunities.
Perry said she grew up on her mother’s stories of working in fields while barefoot, picking fruit.
“I’m grateful for their sacrifices, because I don’t have to be that barefoot kid,” she said.
Perry said her parents are still scared even though they’re citizens now.
“We want to be here, we want to contribute,” she said. “We love this country, but it does not love us back.”
Melissa Reyna came out to protest with her wife, Angelina Munguia, after seeing the effect recent politics have had in their community and on immigrant family members.
“We were born here, we love the United States,” Reyna said, but recently she feels the country has gone downhill.
“There’s a lot of racism that’s coming out. People are feeling more inclined to be racist because there’s someone in power who is empowering them to say what they’ve always been thinking.”
Reyna said she attended a sign-making workshop the day before the protest and passed some out for the march. She was apprehensive to get involved at first, but made some friends there that helped build confidence.
“Community, right now, is the most important thing,” she said. “We have been feeling really alone … so we’re trying to find community in Dallas, people that are like-minded, that feel the same way we do and want change in the world.”
Some people also said they participated to push back on the narrative that immigrants are criminals.
Jasmine Ramirez, whose parents immigrated to the United States, came with two friends to emphasize that their community is full of loving, community-oriented, hard-working people.
Ramirez said she would like to see an easier path to a legal status for people who have been living in the United States for 10-15 years.
New immigration policies cause uproar
Several protests against immigration crackdowns have taken place across North Texas since Trump returned to the White House for a second term.
Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to deploy what he called “tactical strike teams” to assist the Trump administration’s efforts to arrest undocumented migrants across the state. He said the DPS troopers will work with the Department of Homeland Security to arrest the almost 5,400 undocumented immigrants with active arrest warrants.
Furthermore, Abbott issued five executive orders last week directing state agencies to aid Trump’s immigration enforcement operations.
The University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs released a poll Thursday revealing that 60% of Texans support increased immigration enforcement. Republicans were overwhelmingly more supportive, with 83% of those surveyed, while Democrats had 34%.
The poll also showed that support for deportation rose significantly — 87% — for undocumented migrants with criminal convictions, including 95% of Republicans and 81% of Democrats.
One of the biggest demonstrations against the policies saw hundreds of people gathering at the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in West Dallas on Jan. 26.
