Protesters march in Sacramento against ICE raids. ‘We are all American’
Protesters marched in downtown Sacramento Monday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, mobilizing in solidarity with Los Angeles protesters following the ongoing tensions around ICE raids and the arrest of a California union leader.
A crowd of almost 150 people gathered at Cesar Chavez Plaza for the “ICE out of Sac” protest. The demonstration officially began with a rallying cry from Ahjamu Umi, a representative of the All African People’s Revolutionary Party, before the group marched through the streets to the ICE field office and Immigration Court, where they settled.
Protesters chanted “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” and “love, not hate, makes America great,” condemning the recent actions of ICE officials throughout the country, and the decisions by the Trump administration, namely in Los Angeles where anti-ICE protests and unrest continue for the fourth day.
Alyssa Gatti, one of the main organizers of Monday’s protest said the goal of the event was to stand in solidarity with Los Angeles and the undocumented community in Sacramento.
“We want to make it very clear that we are not going to tolerate this in our city,” Gatti said, “and we’re not going to allow people to be ripped away from their families and torn from their community.”
Other groups present included members from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Service Employees International Union and the All African People’s Revolutionary Party.
One demonstrator, Guadalupe Grimaldi, a Sacramento County resident and social justice activist, criticized the “emotionally charged situation” happening statewide, while also cautioning against negative stereotypes against law enforcement officials.
“I do not agree with what is happening to our black and brown immigrant communities. I also believe that citizen or not citizen, we all need to be hypervigilant as to what is happening in this nation right now,” she said. “It’s really scary.”
She wants the Trump administration to follow the law.
“You cannot come into California and just do whatever the hell you want,” she said.
Many protesters like Grimaldi alluded to the ICE presence throughout the county, particularly near elementary schools.
Ty Sutton, a Sacramento native, attended the protest with her seven-year-old son. She was motivated to attend following her daughter’s mention of ICE officers allegedly coming to her school, Sol Aureus College Preparatory. There was no confirmed ICE presence at the school, but her daughter’s worry was enough to frighten her.
“That’s what really kind of woke me up,” she said.
A strong police presence controlled traffic and monitored the event, but they allowed the proceedings to continue without interference.
Protesters and an empty courthouse
In anticipation of the protest, the ICE field office closed its doors earlier Monday morning.
After word of the upcoming protest spread through the courthouse, security guards abruptly asked people to leave Sacramento Immigration Court before noon. Eventually, they put a sign on the front door that said: “BUILDING CLOSED June 9th, 2025.”
But that news hadn’t spread to dozens of unsuspecting immigrants who arrived at the court for court hearings, citizenship tests and work.
Mohammad Karimy, from Afghanistan, was happy and excited for a U.S. citizenship interview scheduled for noon.
“Now, I’m a little bit confused,” Karimy said, after finding out the court wasn’t open.
A security guard had just come out of the building to tell a crowd of people milling around the front that the building was closed for the rest of the day.
“Go home,” the guard said. “Come back tomorrow.”
Karimy, like many others, didn’t leave right away, unsure about what to do next and if the closure would affect their case.
Tehmina Khan had left Boston around 3 a.m., Sacramento time, to make it to the court by Monday afternoon. Khan, a language interpreter who was supposed to work at the courthouse that day, didn’t get word of the closure until she had made it there in her rental car. Khan came to the front of the building just to make sure.
“The travel doesn’t bother me,” she said. “I want to do the job.”
Her day had included a layover in Salt Lake City. Fortunately for Khan, her next assignment was at San Francisco’s court on Tuesday.
“I have to find some place to eat something,” she said, before walking away briskly.
Sha Samir lingered in front of the courthouse well before his 1:30 p.m. appointment time. Samir had studied all weekend, and taken off work, to get ready for a U.S. citizenship test.
“I think I’m a little unlucky,” Samir said, while sitting in front of the closed courthouse. “I knew I was going to pass.”
Shortly before that, Samir, who is from Afghanistan, had received an email from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services saying his interview had been cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances” and that the office would be in touch about a new appointment.
Despite the unexpected news, Samir stayed positive.
“I think I need to study more.”
The protesters celebrated their impact on the Sacramento ICE officials, as they continued their demonstrations with speakers and a live performance.
“We took a whole day of work away from this office, and that’s ... awesome,” Gatti said outside the court to the crowd’s cheers.
“We got your back,” Sutton said in a message to Sacramento’s immigrant community. “We’re all in here together. Don’t ever think that you’re not — we’re all American.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Protesters march in Sacramento against ICE raids. ‘We are all American’."
