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Immigrant rights activists plan to gather at Civic Plaza Friday afternoon as part of a coordinated national protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations following recent fatal shootings during federal enforcement actions.
The demonstration, scheduled for 2 p.m., is part of the National Shutdown movement calling for participants across the country to skip work, school and shopping to protest what organizers describe as ICE’s “reign of terror.”
“The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country – to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN,” organizers wrote on the campaign website. “On Friday, January 30, join a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping.”
The action follows mounting tensions in New Mexico over federal immigration enforcement. Recent shootings of protesters by federal agents have intensified local opposition to ICE operations.
“The entire country is shocked and outraged at the brutal killings of Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Silverio Villegas González, and Keith Porter Jr. by federal agents,” organizers said in a statement. “While Trump and other right wing politicians are slandering them as ‘terrorists’, the video evidence makes it clear beyond all doubt: they were gunned down in broad daylight simply for exercising their First Amendment right to protest mass deportation.”
The Albuquerque event is co-sponsored by Indivisible Albuquerque, Southwest Solidarity Network, Party for Socialism and Liberation, New Mexico Dream Team and People’s Housing Project, among other groups.
The demonstration comes amid escalating local resistance to federal immigration enforcement. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller signed an executive order in July reaffirming the city as a refuge and creating a verification system for residents to confirm whether ICE agents are operating in their neighborhoods.
Last week, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman warned ICE officials that certain detention practices could result in criminal prosecution under state law. Bregman cited New Mexico’s false imprisonment statute in a letter to an ICE assistant field office director, stating that detentions without proper warrants or probable cause “may be subject to prosecution.”
The New Mexico Legislature is also considering House Bill 9, which would prohibit local governments from contracting with the federal government to operate immigration detention facilities.
New Mexico’s congressional delegation has joined the opposition to current enforcement practices. U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján pledged this week to vote against federal funding bills that include ICE appropriations without additional oversight and accountability measures.
Heinrich stated he would not support funding “the lawlessness of DHS, not by itself and not packaged with other funding bills.”
Albuquerque has seen significant immigration-related protests in recent months. Approximately 2,000 people marched through downtown in June to protest ICE operations and federal immigration policies.
Friday’s national action has been endorsed by hundreds of organizations across the country, including student groups at universities, labor unions, immigrant rights organizations and faith communities.
Get Involved
What: National Shutdown protest – “ICE Out” rally
When: Friday, Jan. 30, 2 p.m.
Where: Civic Plaza, Downtown Albuquerque
Sponsors: Indivisible Albuquerque, Southwest Solidarity Network, Party for Socialism and Liberation, New Mexico Dream Team, People’s Housing Project, Answer Coalition
More information:nationalshutdown.org
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