A few hundred people gathered at Boston’s Copley Square Tuesday night to protest the Trump administration’s immigration policies, marking one year since President Donald Trump returned to office and signed sweeping executive orders on immigration enforcement.
The rally brought together unions, socialist groups, pro-immigrant organizations, and first-time protesters. Despite freezing temperatures, demonstrators filled the square before marching toward Boston Common.
Joe Tache with the Party for Socialism and Liberation said the movement against the administration’s policies has continued to grow over the past year.
“Even though [Trump has] tried to beat people down, intimidate people, only more and more people are becoming involved and to stand up, because we all know where the right side of history is,” Tache said.
Some attendees said the cold weather did not deter them from showing up. Jim Hunt said the conditions were no excuse to stay home.
“You can’t let Mother Nature get in the way,” he said.
For others, the rally marked their first time participating in a protest. Lillian Pexton said she felt compelled to join after seeing the impact of immigration policies on communities across the country.
“I come from a background of great privilege, and it’s just not right to stay at home when I know that so many people in my community, and all over the country, are being torn apart,” she said.
The demonstration came hours after Trump highlighted immigration enforcement as a major accomplishment during his first year in office. Since his second inauguration, the president has pushed to expand ICE operations, increase deportations, and implement travel bans — policies that have directly impacted communities in Boston and across the country.
Not everyone who showed up to the rally opposed the administration’s approach.
“Our choice here is to just say that we support ICE,” said Trump supporter Brian Foley. “I’d like to see more ICE in Boston. That’s it, that’s really it. I worked on the Trump campaign, so I love everything our president’s done.”
Organizers say the protest is part of a larger movement, with additional demonstrations already planned, including a nationally coordinated rally on Friday calling on people to skip work, school and shopping in opposition to current immigration policies.
