Once again, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the United States on Sunday, leading to a fresh wave of anti-Trump protests. The current protest is taking place just two weeks after a similar nationwide mobilisation.
From Washington, DC to San Francisco, the rallies were fueled by a strong sense of urgency, outrage and fear, as protesters condemned what they saw as civil rights abuses, executive overreach, and authoritarianism under the presidency of Donald Trump.
On Saturday, the event marked the second wave of anti-Trump protests in the country. According to the advocacy group 5051, over 700 events were organised, and the turnout was noticed in some cities, including New York and Chicago. However, it was smaller than the protests that took place on April 5.
Thousands of demonstrators rallied outside the White House, and they marched towards the Department of Homeland Security, protesting the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was a Maryland resident and was removed to El Salvador.
Garcia was removed despite a court ruling permitting him to remain in the United States. Amid this, the protestors chanted 'Shame!' and waved upside-down American flags.
According to a Toi report, Elena Rodriguez, a D.C. resident and an immigration rights advocate, said, "It feels like we¡¯re past the Constitution." She also voiced her frustration over the government's action.
If you are still wondering why these protests are happening or what the actual reason behind the protests is,? Here are 5 reasons why:
1. Immigration crackdown: Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Washington Square Park to protest ICE raids in New York City. The protesters see this as unchecked immigration enforcement. The signs on their boards read, "No ICE in our state' and more.
2. Civil Rights and environmental rollbacks: The protests noticed in Jacksonville were against the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights and environmental protections. These protesters linked these problems under the broader theme of human and planetary rights being dismantled.
3. Deportation: One of the major reasons, also mentioned above, behind the cause of the current protests is the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. The deportation was done despite a court ruling allowing him to stay in the US, and has now become a national issue.
4. Federal job cuts and Elon Musk's support: One of the initial causes behind the ongoing protests was the rallies in Austin and Palo Alto targeting Tesla and tech billionaire Elon Musk's support for Donald Trump's government.
5. Economic cuts and cuts to social security: The protests that took place in Chicago's Daley Plaza were focused on proposed cuts to Social Security and veterans' benefits.