Green Bay, WI protests deportations

Green Bay, WI – On Saturday, February 8, nearly 100 people braved the winter cold and marched through downtown Green Bay, Wisconsin in a powerful demonstration against ICE’s escalating attacks on immigrant communities nationwide.

The protest was organized in opposition to Trump’s executive orders and the surge in ICE activity since his inauguration. One protester’s sign captured the spirit of the march, “The word criminal does not define who we are. If you want to label us, label us as loyal neighbors, dedicated workers, and caring community members.”

As the crowd marched through the snow, chants of “Aqui estamos y no nos vamos!” (We are here and we are not leaving!) reverberated with defiance and hope through the streets of Green Bay. The march was spearheaded by a local DACA recipient, who despite her fears, chose to stand up and organize her community to fight back. “Fear is real,” she shared with the crowd, “but so is our power. When we come together, we are stronger than any force that tries to divide us.”

This march was co-sponsored by local organizations Hate Free Outagamie (HFO), a group fighting for LGBTQ liberation, and Green Bay Anti-war Committee (GBAC), a group fighting against U.S. imperialism and war.

Mary Bogen, chair of HFO, addressed the crowd before the march, stating, “This is not about ‘law and order,’ this is about control. It’s about keeping working people, especially Black and brown immigrants, queer folks, trans folks and their loved ones living in fear, so corporations and the ultra-rich can continue to exploit them.”

As the march concluded, protesters chanted “From Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go!” Then Daniel Castillo of GBAC spoke of the anti-war movement’s unity with the immigrant rights movement, “Our movement understands that the struggle for peace isn’t separate from the fight for justice at home. Every dollar spent on foreign military operations is a dollar stolen from our schools, our healthcare, and our communities.”

This protest is part of a growing wave of resistance sweeping the nation, coinciding with Legalization for All’s national week of action. As we continue to see people from the queer rights movements, the anti-war movement, the trade union movement and the immigrant rights movement unite to fight back against Trump’s attacks, we look forward to seeing what more the movement in the Fox Valley has in store.

#GreenBayWI #WI #ImmigrantRights #HFO #GBAC #Trump