Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations spread across Southern California on Friday as part of a nationwide day of action urging people to skip work, school and shopping in opposition to federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
Demonstrations were reported throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties, where students walked out of class, community groups rallied and candlelight vigils were planned for later in the evening.
L.A. County protests, high school walkouts
In downtown Los Angeles Friday evening, an “ICE Out” protest is well underway, with crowds holding signs seen packing Spring Street. The turnout is reportedly larger than initially predicted — an estimated several thousand people — and demonstrators are expected to remain there for some time.
KTLA’s Chris Wolfe is downtown, where he says thousands of people are flooding the street between City Hall and Grand Park, condemning ICE, U.S. Border Patrol and overall Homeland Security operations and tactics.
The “ICE Out” protesters have been on the move for much of the day, marching around the city and gathering at the nearby Federal Building and Metropolitan Detention Center, also heading towards east L.A.
The situation outside of the Federal Building intensified Friday evening, with some protesters throwing trash and bottles at police and being pepper sprayed in response.
Officers are pushing the crowds back, but if the situation continues to escalate, LAPD will likely declare the gathering an unlawful assembly and issue a dispersal order.
Earlier Friday, protesters arrived near Grand Park, where they were seen making signs and preparing to march.
Law enforcement agencies staged nearby, including near the Hall of Justice, where barricades were erected several blocks from the rally site. Deputies told KTLA they coordinated with protest organizers ahead of time in an effort to prevent tensions from escalating.
KTLA’s Kareen Wynter spoke with participants who said the demonstration was organized in response to recent immigration enforcement actions nationwide and deaths tied to protests elsewhere.
“I was born in Los Angeles, and I’ve seen so many of my neighbors, so many of my friends — people who helped build this city — being taken from us, I can’t stand by and watch what’s happening,” one protester said.
In Woodland Hills, another protest formed outside a Target store along Ventura Boulevard, where KTLA’s Erin Myers reported crowds larger than expected.
U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman and Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield joined the group, criticizing federal immigration tactics and urging changes to enforcement policies.
Sherman said he hoped the widespread protests would prompt the administration to reconsider its approach, while Blumenfield added that demonstrators were raising their voices “as loud as we can here in the West Valley and across the country.”
An organizer named Andrea Fields told KTLA the weekly demonstrations in the area have steadily grown. “It’s been snowballing,” she said. “It’s showing us that there are more of us than there are of them.”
KTLA reached out to Target for comment. The company said it did not have a statement on the protest, but added it does not have cooperative agreements with ICE.
High school students across Los Angeles County also staged walkouts Friday, including at Polytechnic High School in Pomona, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates, El Sereno Middle School, Van Nuys High School and others. Sky5 saw hundreds of students gathering outside campuses and marching along nearby streets as part of the broader “ICE Out” day of action.
Orange County walkouts, rallies and vigils
Sky5 flew over intersections in Mission Viejo near Marguerite and Avery Parkways, where Capistrano Valley High School students walked out in protest.
Multiple demonstrations were also planned across Orange County, including rallies in Villa Park, Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch and Garden Grove.
In Garden Grove, student leaders, community organizations and elected officials were scheduled to gather near the city’s Clock Tower for a march calling for ICE to be dismantled. Organizers said the rally was being held in solidarity with communities in Minnesota and across the country.
In San Clemente, students planned a late-morning walkout from San Clemente High School, marching toward Pico Avenue with support from advocacy groups.
San Juan Capistrano residents were also expected to hold an afternoon “ICE Out for Good” protest near Camino Capistrano and Del Obispo Street. Organizers said the rally would be peaceful and aimed at supporting families affected by immigration enforcement actions.
Later Friday, a candlelight vigil was planned in Santa Ana outside the historic Orange County Courthouse to honor Alex Pretti and others killed during immigration-related protests in Minnesota. The vigil was expected to include members of the medical community and local elected officials.
City officials in Santa Ana also announced flags were lowered in remembrance, saying the gesture symbolized concern over civil rights issues tied to recent federal actions.
Nationwide day of action
Friday’s demonstrations are part of a broader “national shutdown,” with activists encouraging people to avoid spending money and to participate in rallies to pressure federal leaders to curb ICE operations.
Organizers across the region said the protests were meant to build solidarity and send an economic message, while some businesses in Southern California announced temporary closures in support of the action.
Not everyone in the region supported the protests. According to the Orange County Register, Leandra Blades, a Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District board member, said she is spearheading a resolution backing law enforcement officers and federal immigration agents and urging campuses to remain focused on academics rather than activism.
