SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Protesters gathered outside the federal building in downtown San Diego Thursday for their weekly demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
The weekly protests have been ongoing for months, drawing local labor leaders, immigrant rights advocates, and community members who show up every Thursday to voice their opposition to ICE enforcement.
"I have been coming every week since August," said Polly Petersen, a regular attendee.
"He comes out weekly to basically stand up for those that don't have a voice," said Christine Bachelor about her husband, who attends regularly.
The group rallies outside of ICE's San Diego location each week.
Congressman Juan Vargas was scheduled to speak at Thursday's protest about the immigration agency, but his remarks were interrupted by members of the crowd who heckled him about funding for Israel, an unrelated topic.
Vargas finished his remarks on stage and had initially agreed to an interview but ultimately decided to leave the event because of the interruption.
Despite the disruption, regular protesters say they plan to continue their weekly demonstrations until changes are made to ICE's enforcement or the immigration system overall.
"I know so many people who don't feel comfortable enough to come out here, and I feel like I'm representing them," Bachelor said.
Another protester expressed frustration with the current immigration system.
"I want Congress to change the laws so that we can have a proper immigration system. It is ridiculous that each president who comes in can just arbitrarily change the rules," they said.
ICE did not respond to requests for comment about the protest.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
