In the first Fourth of July of US President Donald Trump's second term, many immigrants spent the holiday weekend away from the traditional fireworks festivities.
Multiple celebrations were cancelled in California and other states over fears of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids, many people attended anti-Trump demonstrations in protest of recent policies—notably the "Big, beautiful bill" signed on the holiday, and many others simply chose to stay home in light of growing government crackdowns they see as being at odds with celebrating freedom.
"Even though I know it's not popular to like the Fourth of July, I always have. I have positive memories. But what's happened in Gaza has happened in Gaza has changed me like nothing in my life has changed me," Mirvette Judeh, a Palestinian American in southern California long involved in the state's Democratic Party, told The New Arab. She also didn't celebrate the holiday last year over Israel's war on Gaza, though this year feels worse for her due to the crackdown on immigrants in the US.
"Obviously, the genocide is happening. But there's also what’s happening here. What are we celebrating? Freedom of speech is being violated. It's the most important amendment – that's why it's first," said Judeh, who lives in a majority-Latino neighbourhood.
"People don't feel safe any more," she said. "The federal government that was supposed to protect us is now scaring us."
Similarly, Alkamalee Jabbar, an immigrant from Sri Lanka in southern California who previously served on a school board, where many of the students were Latino, told TNA that he also stayed at home with family this year.
"For the immigrant community, this year has been tough. It's not just Independence Day, but any celebration is subdued," he said. "Most of us have to be allies to our immigrant communities and speak out more."
"You also have the 'Big, beautiful bill' taking millions off healthcare. How do you celebrate when you have such a grim outlook for working families?" Jabbar added.
He notes that many of the students and their families he previously represented are now afraid to go to work, something many see as a contradiction to Trump's campaign promise to focus on deporting criminals.
For Judeh, this year's Independence Day was a chance to quietly protest the situation of a country she has long loved and worries about. Instead of wearing her usual red, white and blue, she wore her keffiyeh with some red on it.
"I guess me wearing the little bit of red was saying that I'm not giving up. How can I wear red, white and blue when immigrant families are being terrorised? That's too much. Wearing red was owning that I'm an American," she said.
"I can't not love the country that gave me freedom. It's like having a bad relative you love that keeps making mistakes, but knowing they can do better," she added.