REGION — From the desert to the coast, thousands of people attended protests held throughout San Diego County over the weekend in response to increased immigration enforcement and the death of a Minnesota mother who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer last week.
At least eight “ICE Out For Good” protests were held Saturday in cities including Chula Vista, San Diego, Borrego Springs, El Cajon, Encinitas and Del Mar in San Diego County, as well as Temecula in Riverside County.
An additional protest on Sunday afternoon in Escondido capped the weekend of activity.
The Saturday protest in Del Mar took place at the Del Mar Civic Center in the late morning, while the Encinitas protest occurred at the corner of El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard in the afternoon. Escondido’s Sunday protest took over the intersection at East Valley Boulevard and Ash Street.
The North County protests — organized by several local groups, including 50501 North County San Diego, Indivisible North San Diego County and We The People — drew hundreds of participants. In Escondido, where 200 to 400 people attended, a food drive was held simultaneously to collect items for families affected by immigration enforcement, resulting in more than 70 pounds of food, diapers, and other pantry items.
In Encinitas, about a dozen coordinators wearing reflective yellow vests helped manage the hundreds of protesters. Jennifer Graves, a peacekeeper from the Encinitas and North Coast Democratic Club, said she and others wearing vests from multiple organizations were there “to make sure these events are safe and peaceful,” including by keeping people on sidewalks and not blocking access to businesses.
“We stand in solidarity for keeping our communities safe, for lawful administration of justice and to ensure that all conduct of law enforcement operations happens to the highest standards that our communities deserve,” Graves said.
Escondido also had its share of organizers in yellow vests, who helped ensure people crossed streets safely between the four corners of the intersection.
The protests followed days after Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, was killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who fired into her moving SUV during an immigration operation in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
The events leading up to Wednesday’s shooting of Good, 37, remain in dispute nationwide as multiple video angles of the incident have emerged. While many accuse the ICE agent of murder, others argue that Good was operating her vehicle as a weapon, and Ross shot her in self-defense.
“This latest footage corroborates what DHS has stated all along,” Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for public affairs, wrote on social media Friday. “This individual was impeding law enforcement and weaponized her vehicle against @ICEgov. The officer dutifully acted in self-defense.”
According to The New York Times, “When agents approached her SUV on foot and demanded that she get out, Ms. Good disobeyed and began to drive away. A video analysis showed that Ms. Good’s vehicle appeared to be turning away from the officer who opened fire.”
“Justice for Good” chants could be heard above the sounds of honks of support in Encinitas.
Escondido resident Richard Cannon said Sunday’s protest was intended both to memorialize Good and to send a message to the federal government that ICE is not wanted in the community.
“We don’t want these lawless, reckless and violent agents who are untrained and unrestrained in their use of force in our neighborhoods,” Cannon said. “We want them out for good.”
According to Cannon, the federal government has demonstrated that its increased immigration enforcement has targeted people based on the color of their skin and perceived ethnicity, particularly people of Latino and Hispanic descent. Escondido has a majority Hispanic population.
“I can’t say specifically, but I can imagine a lot of the community feels upset, scared and paranoid,” Cannon said.
Cannon said he hopes the rallies also encourage people to volunteer for neighborhood ICE patrols, which consist of groups and individuals who monitor for ICE agents in community hotspots, as well as rapid-response teams that help affected families connect with detained loved ones and legal aid, among other resources.
“Democracy dies in silence. Everybody has a voice, and your voice matters — it doesn’t matter how small or large you think it is,” Cannon said. “Our elected officials are not going to save us, so it’s going to be up to individuals like those out here to make a difference.”
Kevin Lustig, a Solana Beach resident, said he attended the “No Kings” rally in downtown San Diego but wanted to join the Encinitas protest because of how much he loves the city.
“Encinitas is like the greatest place,” Lustig said, noting how kind and open-minded residents are. “We feel like our people are here.”
He added that, given the prevalence of social media, the widespread show of support could encourage more people to express criticism of ICE.
“Democracy doesn’t just exist,” Lustig said. “It exists because we all work hard to keep it alive.”
The Coast News reporter Cameron Adams and City News Service contributed to this report.
