Hundreds of protesters gathered outside an immigration detention center near George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on Friday evening, holding signs and using bullhorns to express their demands for change. The gathering came as a response to the recent shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, with demonstrators taking aim at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The protest was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, although some participants expressed reservations about all forms of immigration enforcement. Critics argued that while they may not oppose deportation or border control measures entirely, they take issue with the methods used to carry out these policies.
According to data provided by ICE, a majority of arrests in the Houston area were made for immigration-related offenses. However, 26% of those arrested were also wanted for other serious crimes, including murder, child abuse, and sex offenses. Critics, like Maria Espinoza with The Remembrance Project, countered that "illegal is illegal," and that those who break the law should face consequences, regardless of their immigration status.
Nathan Thornal took to the mic, proclaiming, "White people even now are being killed, and ICE is overstepping their boundaries. They're not following the rule of law." The sentiment was echoed by Hal Puckett, who noted that while some may argue that certain immigration enforcement actions aren't so bad, it's the manner in which they're executed that raises concerns about accountability.
The Houston protest comes as national outrage continues to simmer over the Minneapolis shootings, with many arguing that ICE is overstepping its authority and disregarding due process.
The protest was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, although some participants expressed reservations about all forms of immigration enforcement. Critics argued that while they may not oppose deportation or border control measures entirely, they take issue with the methods used to carry out these policies.
According to data provided by ICE, a majority of arrests in the Houston area were made for immigration-related offenses. However, 26% of those arrested were also wanted for other serious crimes, including murder, child abuse, and sex offenses. Critics, like Maria Espinoza with The Remembrance Project, countered that "illegal is illegal," and that those who break the law should face consequences, regardless of their immigration status.
Nathan Thornal took to the mic, proclaiming, "White people even now are being killed, and ICE is overstepping their boundaries. They're not following the rule of law." The sentiment was echoed by Hal Puckett, who noted that while some may argue that certain immigration enforcement actions aren't so bad, it's the manner in which they're executed that raises concerns about accountability.
The Houston protest comes as national outrage continues to simmer over the Minneapolis shootings, with many arguing that ICE is overstepping its authority and disregarding due process.
I don't know, man... I'm all for making some noise about immigration issues, but at the same time, I feel like we're just piling on without considering the bigger picture 
. It's easy to say "ICE is overstepping its boundaries" when you're standing in front of a detention center with a megaphone, but what are we actually proposing as an alternative? 
I mean, some of these people who get deported or caught up in the system have committed heinous crimes – it's not like they're just innocent victims of circumstance. But on the other hand, we also can't just ignore the fact that our immigration laws are super flawed and lead to a lot of unnecessary suffering for everyone involved 
.
ICE has got some serious explaining to do 
26% of people arrested in Houston were wanted for other crimes, like murder and child abuse 
that's not exactly "illegal is illegal" 
it's more like "hey, we should be following the rule of law" 
what do you think tho? 
Like Nathan Thornal said, "White people even now are being killed..." That's a huge issue too! 
The fact that 26% of those arrested at the detention center were wanted for serious crimes still doesn't justify using lethal force. We need to find a better way to deal with these situations, like de-escalation techniques or mental health support. It's not just about immigration enforcement, it's about human lives 
. I mean, on one hand, you've got people who think that breaking the law is breaking the law, regardless of your immigration status 
.
. We need to talk about the human impact of these policies and find ways to address them without pitting different groups against each other 
. It's time for us to have a more informed conversation about what works and what doesn't 
.