On June 9 local time, protests erupted in Austin, Texas, as hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in solidarity with Los Angeles, opposing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration. Footage from the scene shows clashes between Austin police and the protesters.
The emergency protest began at the Texas State Capitol, where hundreds of demonstrators gathered, holding signs, waving flags, and chanting slogans. The protestors then marched through downtown Austin towards the federal building that houses immigration detention facilities.
The protesters called on the Trump administration to halt its crackdown on illegal immigration, demanding an “end to racist detention and deportation practices.” One of the event organizers, Leiba Khan, stated, “I want people to know that they are not alone. We are many, and we are united in our voices. If anyone feels scared, we will stand together. We are here to express our concerns, and we are here to express our anger.”
Since the morning of June 6, ICE and other federal agencies have deployed large numbers of law enforcement officers to conduct raids targeting illegal immigrants in several areas across Los Angeles County, California. During these operations, law enforcement officers have faced blockades from local residents, and physical confrontations have occurred. On June 7, President Trump signed a memorandum deploying 2,000 California National Guard members to the Los Angeles area. On June 8, California Governor Gavin Newsom stated in an interview that he would sue the federal government over the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. On June 9, U.S. Northern Command announced that approximately 700 Marines had been mobilized and would “seamlessly integrate” with the National Guard troops already deployed in the Los Angeles area to protect federal agencies and personnel.
Following several days of unrest in Los Angeles, protests are expected to spread to more cities this week. At least 30 new protests are planned across the country in response to the Trump administration’s recent actions against immigrants. Protests have already erupted in San Francisco, Sacramento, Houston, San Antonio, Chicago, and New York. From the previous weekend to Monday, protesters in these cities held rallies in support of demonstrators in Los Angeles. As of the afternoon of June 9, organizers had scheduled protests in nearly all major cities to strongly oppose the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategies and the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles.