Protesters with a Jewish group have blocked the exits of the U.S. Immigration and Customs agency in Washington, D.C., as part of an effort to “shut down ICE.”
The group, Never Again Action, has promoted #ShutDownICE protests in various cities across the country in recent weeks. On Tuesday, dozens of activists gathered on the National Mall before proceeding to the ICE headquarters. Once there, the demonstrators linked arms and stood in front of doors and entryways.
Activist have blocked all entry and exit doors to ICE HQ in D.C. @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/p1TUnsIA1Q
— Caroline Patrickis (@Cpatrickis) July 16, 2019
Some of the protesters reportedly said that they expected to be arrested during the demonstration. Nearby the Washington headquarters they hung a banner over a bridge that read, “PELOSI, NEVER AGAIN IS NOW #DIGNITYNOTDETENTION.”
The #JewsAgainstICE protestors have dropped a banner: “Pelosi, never again is now. #DignityNotDetention” pic.twitter.com/lDEcBrjD3t
— julia reinstein ? (@juliareinstein) July 16, 2019
Some employees appeared frustrated when they realized they couldn’t get into their office. Police were camped inside the ICE headquarters, locking the doors as the protesters descended upon the building.
Police are standing guard inside. I just heard them lock the doors @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/Jm7EOFdLnG
— Caroline Patrickis (@Cpatrickis) July 16, 2019
Another ICE employee trying to get into HQ. @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/VzUF2fzdIA
— Caroline Patrickis (@Cpatrickis) July 16, 2019
The Washington Examiner spoke to one of the demonstrators, Cata Santiago, who said the group was fighting for “permanent protection, dignity, and respect for all immigrants in this country.”
At one point during the protest, Department of Homeland Security officials pushed aside the demonstrators to allow a car to exit and others to enter.
Video of DHS guards pushing away protestors to enter ICE facility at the Never Again rally pic.twitter.com/0UbdBG2xEV
— Noah Garfinkel (@noahgarf) July 16, 2019
The movement started with a Facebook status by 25-year-old activist Serena Adlerstein, who was upset at the treatment of migrants at U.S. border facilities.
“I made an offhand Facebook post like, ‘What if young Jews occupied ICE detention centers and shut them down?’” Adlerstein told NBC News. That ballooned into a larger movement of support and the creation of the Never Again Action group. Through GoFundMe, the group has amassed thousands in donations.
It isn’t clear if any of the demonstrators have been arrested or how long they plan to stay outside the headquarters.
