Hundreds of protesters gathered in Salt Lake City's Washington Square Park over the weekend, echoing a national response to the recent deadly shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The Utah rally, part of the "ICE Out For Good" action, articulated a demand for accountability, particularly after the killing of Renée Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, as reported by KUTV. Protest signage with messages like "Abolish ICE" and "ICE Out" punctuated the crowd's plea for reform within federal immigration enforcement.
Anthony Martinez, a U.S. veteran in attendance, voiced his anguish and resolve: "As long as I can breathe, I will fight for our flag and our democracy," according to KUTV. Demonstrators also questioned the use of deadly force by federal officers, spotlighting fears of unchecked authority in immigration control, an issue underscored by both the Trump administration's defense of ICE actions and Mayor Jacob Frey's criticisms of federal agents for creating fear in communities.
Utah wasn't alone in its demonstrations, as KSL reported; other cities, including Minneapolis, where the killing occurred, held protests to criticize ICE's practices and remember the lost lives. KSL recounted the forceful expressions of local discontent: "We're all living in fear right now," said Meghan Moore, a Minneapolis protester and mother of two. There was also pushback against unrest, with Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara noting minor injuries to an officer and several citations during a protest.
Down in Utah, locals participated in protests across cities from Provo to St. George. Linda Griffen of the Salt Lake branch of the Indivisible organization voiced concern for what she sees as a lack of policing values in ICE, telling ABC4, "We are against ICE because we see them as an illegal organization that doesn’t have the police training, the policing values." A rally in St. George, unrelated to a formal organization, gathered citizens vocal about their right to protest, with Emily McBride emphasizing the importance of active involvement: "With the barrage of information that is coming at us all of the time, it can feel really sickening to just sit there and watch and not participate," said ABC4.
