Grand Rapids has become the stage for a series of demonstrations dealing with U.S. immigration policy, as groups insist on sanctuary city protections against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cooperation. Activists from Movimiento Cosecha and Grand Rapids Responds to ICE gathered at Calder Plaza, persisting in their demand for city support even after a city commission meeting was scrapped.
Despite the absence of scheduled city deliberations, more than 100 individuals convened at the plaza, united by a disapproval of ICE's methods and the local government's perceived inaction. One protester declared, "The city of Grand Rapids is not doing nearly enough to protect our families," in a statement obtained by FOX 17. A teen activist criticized the immigration agency during the rally, stating, "I'm talking about ICE, the immigration, the custom enforcement agency, and the way it has been treating humans, being like they're not human at all."
In response, Mayor David LaGrand and city manager Mark Washington underscored the local police department's pledge to unbiased law enforcement and the avoidance of unnecessary immigration enforcement. "Grand Rapids Police Department adopted a policy that ensures equal enforcement of the law regardless of citizenship and would not hold foreign nationals without a judicial warrant," Washington clarified in a city commission meeting, according to FOX 17.
The regular appearances of protesters signal a community deeply invested in the sanctuary city dialogue. However, Gema Lowe from Movimiento Cosecha has cast doubt on the commitment to those policies, telling WZZM 13, "So my hope is in the community." It's a sentiment echoed by DACA recipient Ana Ramirez, who shared her personal connection to Grand Rapids during the demonstration, saying to WOODTV, "This is where I grew up, this is my home."
