Anti-ICE demonstrations in downtown San Francisco led to the shutdown of a federal courthouse on Tuesday, following news of local arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Dozens of protesters gathered downtown with less than an hour’s notice to oppose what they described as arbitrary arrests of immigrants. The action came just hours after a mass protest of around 10,000 people marched through the historically Latino Mission District.
The protests are part of a nationwide wave triggered by the Trump administration’s decision to raise ICE’s daily arrest quota to 3,000 and ramp up raids in workplaces and immigrant communities, especially across sanctuary cities like San Francisco.
Later that day, multiple individuals were reportedly arrested by ICE, with several seen being taken into unmarked vehicles.
By early afternoon, the courthouse had been shut down, which was hailed by activists on social media as a victory for the five-day protest wave that began in Los Angeles.
Protesters and immigrant rights groups have also condemned ICE's reported targeting of individuals outside immigration courts, which they call a breach of due process and a tactic aimed at sowing fear.
On the East Coast, protests in Medford, Massachusetts were credited with securing the release of a teenage boy arrested by ICE while on his way to volleyball practice.
Cities across the US are bracing for more anti-ICE demonstrations as the Trump administration escalates its immigration enforcement. Hundreds of people have already been arrested, and dozens injured by heavy-handed police responses.
While the majority of protests have been peaceful, some have seen confrontations between demonstrators and police. San Francisco officials, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, have reiterated the city's sanctuary status while warning that vandalism and violence will not be tolerated.