In a sudden, sweeping demonstration that clogged the streets of downtown Iowa City Monday evening, a large crowd gathered to rally against President Donald Trump’s latest deportation plans. Dozens of Mexican flags were waved high and draped over the shoulders of protesters as chants in Spanish echoed through the crowd, met with honks and cheers of support from passing drivers and brief face-offs with scattered counter-protesters.
The decentralized protest was organized solely by word of mouth and social media, which brought no less than 150 people to gather by the Old Capitol Building in protest of mass deportation. The crowd marched through downtown for over an hour, moving between streets, sidewalks, and the Pedestrian Mall with Iowa City police cars blocking traffic for safety.
The crowd, comprised of families, children, and college students, gathered to raise awareness of new immigration policies, with some holding signs that read, ‘Families belong together,’ ‘Nobody is illegal on stolen land,’ and ‘I will drink my horchata hot because F*** I.C.E.’
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According to NBC News, Trump has planned, since his first day in office, to conduct mass deportations bigger than ever in history. He has put troops on the borders and immigration officers have begun raids, leaving immigrants at risk of deportation.
As a result, panic has spread among people, including the residents of Iowa gathering in Iowa City to share their opinions and stand with those who couldn’t be present.
Iowa City resident Araseli Cardoza said she participated to make her voice heard and speak on behalf of others who do not feel safe to protest, including her own undocumented friends and relatives.

“I’m here speaking on behalf of all immigrants,” Cardoza said, emphasizing that even legal immigrants and American citizens have been detained in recent raids. “Anyone who comes to America for a dream.”
Cardoza expressed the importance of voicing what she described as an injustice to her community and described the potential ripple effects of Trump’s mass deportation plans.
“Some of these parents are undocumented, so their children will have to be taken care of by relatives. They don’t know who’s going to be picking them up from school,” Cardoza said. “We pride ourselves on being a community, but tomorrow we don’t know who will be here.”
Another protester, Marcelo Palacios, whose children are students at the University of Iowa, also emphasized the potential harm Trump’s plans will have on families.
“A lot of families are getting separated,” Palacios said. “Which I don’t think is fair because most of them are law-abiding citizens.”
He and Cardoza both said that while tonight’s protest might not have immediate impacts, awareness is important.
“Maybe it’s not going to change anytime soon,” Palacios said. “But we’ll keep speaking out.”
Shortly before 7 p.m., two counter-protesters joined the crowd as they marched downtown, carrying an American flag and a Trump flag. Provoked by their presence, about half the protesters moved to confront them while the other half shouted for them to retreat, insisting it was not worth the conflict. Among those urging restraint was Iowa City resident Isabel Canchola.
“We are peaceful. We don’t have to be violent,” Canchola said. “Everyone is free to have their own opinion.”
Spurred by the encouragement to disengage, the crowd moved away from the counter-protesters and continued into the Ped Mall.

Iowa City City Council candidate Oliver Weilein made an appearance within the crowd to show his support for the community.
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“I’m here because every single person in Iowa City matters, and every single person in Iowa City deserves to feel safe and welcome,” Weilein said. “Immigration status, nationality — none of that matters. You’re all humans. No human is illegal. Borders aren’t real. These are our neighbors, these are our community members that are integral to Iowa City, and we need to protect them at all costs and do absolutely whatever it takes.”

Shortly after 7 p.m., there was another standoff as the crowd on the sidewalk outside of the Old Capitol Town Center was confronted by the same two counter-protesters, now joined by three others. Two of the new counter-protesters yelled that the protesters would be deported under Trump’s administration, shouting, “Adios, amigos.”
Four Iowa City police officers approached and told the two counter-protesters to leave. As the counter-protesters walked away, they were confronted by two students from Iowa City High School.
“I think they’re privileged, they’re pigs, they’re ignorant,” Camila Garcia, one of the students who confronted the counter-protesters, said.
She and fellow City High student Janeth Silva said they believe the rhetoric of the counter-protesters, who were white, was fueled by their own privilege as Trump’s mass deportation plans will not affect them or their loved ones.
The remaining counter-protesters stayed for a few more minutes, shouting support for Trump and claiming the protesters’ concerns no longer mattered because Trump won the election. Police told them they had the right to stay but warned they were instigating conflict. Moments after speaking with officers, the counter-protesters left while the crowd across the street chanted thanks to the police.
Although the march blocked several downtown streets and delayed traffic at times, police did not instruct protesters to remain on the sidewalks and appeared focused on maintaining safety, following the crowd, and blocking traffic to prevent accidents. Despite moments of tension between protesters and counter-protesters, no arrests were made.