Labor mobilizes in Union Square to protest ICE, stand with migrant workers

After the speeches, the march began and thousands walked through the streets.

Carter Myers-Brown, The Chief

“New York is a union town! New York is a union town!” chanted the nearly 5,000 people who gathered in Union Square Jan. 23 to protest the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal immigration agencies.

The “ICE Out” rally coincided with a citywide general strike in Minneapolis and was organized in response to the killing of Renee Good, the detention of Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old boy and other flagrant actions by ICE.

Minneapolis has become the epicenter of recent ICE protests, and the New York rally was framed as an act of solidarity between cities and among workers nationwide. The action began with speeches at Union Square before morphing into a march.

The protest was hosted by a broad coalition of unions and advocacy groups, including the New York Civil Liberties Union, Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, the United Federation of Teachers, United Auto Workers Region 9A and others. Several elected officials stood behind the speakers, including former city Comptroller Brad Lander and Rep. Dan Goldman.

The strong union presence underscored what organizers described as the essential connection between organized labor and migrant workers.

Among the dozens of unions present was LIUNA Local 1010, which represents road builders and pavers. Max Barton, a researcher with the union, was among several members holding signs and chanting.

“It’s essential to have solidarity between workers. We’re part of a bigger union and a bigger fight,” Barton said. “We can’t do everything, but when we band together, there’s a trickle-down effect.”

Barton said the strike felt both empowering and necessary, particularly as it coincided with the ongoing nurses’ strike. He added that much of the work done by Local 1010 – and by workers across the country – would not be possible without migrants.

Throughout the rally, Local 1010 drew particular attention from photographers and fellow demonstrators because a young girl stood among its members, holding a sign and chanting . The image took on added weight as many in the crowd held posters bearing the face of Liam Conejo Ramos, a boy not much younger than her.

The overall tone of the protest was one of outrage and resistance. Whistles blew, fists were raised and drums echoed through the square.

'This is about more than ICE'

Brendan Griffith, president of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, delivered an impassioned speech emphasizing labor’s role in defending workers’ rights.

“This is about more than ICE,” Griffith said. “It’s about what kind of country we are building. It’s about whether immigrant workers and their families can move through their lives with dignity. It’s about whether workers of every background have the right to organize, to protest and to be safe.”

“One in five workers in this country wasn’t born here,” he continued. “And here in New York City, immigrant workers make up nearly half of our workforce.”

After the speeches, the crowd marched through the city, passing the headquarters of corporations including Home Depot, Amazon and Palantir. During the rally, speakers sharply criticized Palantir and Amazon for allegedly selling customer data and advancing ICE’s surveillance apparatus.

Union member killed day after rally

The morning after the New York protest, a U.S. Border Patrol agent killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, prompting renewed demonstrations in the city calling for justice for Pretti, Good and others.

Pretti was an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a member of Local 3669 of the American Federation of Government Employees. His killing, which was caught on camera by several bystanders, has spurred even more backlash towards ICE and the Trump administration since the killing of Good.

As Griffith concluded his remarks, an anguished yet invigorated mood swept through the crowd.

“When workers are targeted, labor responds,” he said. “We stand with our siblings in Minnesota, and we demand that these dangerous ICE actions end and that our workplaces be free from fear.”