EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — ICE protests continued in Downtown El Paso on Wednesday morning, June 11, in concern with growing protests across the country as demonstrators continue to denounce the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and tactics.
“Fuera ICE!” chanted dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the Richard C. White Federal Building in Downtown El Paso.
Dozens more had gathered the evening prior at the San Jacinto Plaza in a demonstration aimed at showing “solidarity” with the community in Los Angeles, where violent protests erupted over the weekend.
Those demonstrators called for the removal of the California National Guard deployed by President Donald Trump to Los Angeles, and for ICE to stop their immigration raids in migrant communities.
Wednesday’s protest centered on denouncing reports that ICE is arresting asylum seekers near federal buildings as their cases are being dismissed.
“They ought to start by complying with due process, start with complying with the law. These judges are dismissing the cases at the government’s motion, and then they are initiating expedited removal, meaning quick removal without any court hearing. Many of these people are people who have applied for asylum. And under our asylum laws, they have a right to a full hearing on their case,” former State Senator Jose Rodriguez said.
Meanwhile, Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed Texas National Guard troops to San Antonio ahead of planned protests on Wednesday.
He added via his X account that troops will be deployed to “locations across the state to ensure peace and order” ahead of a planned nationwide protest happening on Saturday.
“Peaceful protest is legal. Harming a person or property is illegal and will lead to arrest. The Texas National Guard will use every tool and strategy to help law enforcement maintain order,” read Abbott’s post.
Neither the City nor the County of El Paso has been informed or contacted by state officials on whether the Texas National Guard will be deployed to the border ahead of ongoing protests.
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego commended the peaceful nature of the demonstrations being held in El Paso. He attributed that to great communication among El Paso leaders, law enforcement, and community advocates, and urged demonstrators to continue setting that example.
“We can figure it out at a local level. And the better we figure things out at a local level, it won’t provoke people coming in from the outside. Let’s not give them an excuse. Let’s be peaceful. Let’s do things right. And let’s not give the governor or the other president an excuse to deploy the National Guard. Because I can tell you that’s when it gets out of hand,” Samaniego said.
“The National Guard comes in, and they’re not knowledgeable about our community. They’re very young people who are now being asked to do something very complicated,” he added.
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