In January 2026, widespread protests escalated throughout the United States in response to shootings by immigration agents in the second Trump administration, most notably the killing of Renée Good and the shooting of two people in Portland, Oregon. At least 36 arrests were made, including 30 in Minneapolis and six in Portland. The protests were later further fueled by the killing of Alex Pretti, and anti-ICE protests have continued throughout the year.

Background

Killing of Renée Good

2026 Portland shooting

Killing of Alex Pretti

Protests

Domestic

Protesters gathered in cities across the country including Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Colorado Springs, Columbia, S.C. Columbus, Ohio, Detroit, Duluth, El Paso, Eugene, Grand Rapids, Hattiesburg, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York City, Oakland, Omaha, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Oregon, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tallahassee, Washington, D.C., and Worcester.

Alabama On January 8 in Birmingham, a vigil for Good was held in Five Points South, with attendees chanting anti-Trump and anti-ICE slogans. On January 10, a protest was held outside a federal courthouse in Birmingham.

Alaska On January 30, a group of students staged a walkout in Anchorage to protest the killings of Good and Pretti.

Arizona On January 7 in Phoenix, activists held a vigil outside an ICE office and demanded justice after the killing of Good. On January 8, a vigil was held outside an ICE office to honor Good in Phoenix. In Tucson, protesters rallied following the shooting.

On January 22 in Phoenix, pepper spray was deployed at a demonstration near the ICE office after barricades were thrown to prevent deportation vans from leaving the facility. One agent sustained minor injuries and one demonstrator was arrested for assault during the confrontation.

California January 7

At night, dozens of protesters reportedly gathered at Olvera Street in Los Angeles. In San Diego, protesters marched from Little Italy through downtown to the San Diego County Administration Center.

In Sacramento, protesters pushed open the gates of the John E. Moss Federal Building on Capitol Mall, caused damage and left graffiti. There were no arrests according to Officer Anthony Gamble, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department. He said the incident is now being investigated by the Federal Protective Service. The protesters were responding to a "call to action" by a local activist group known as NorCal Resist, which sends observers to document immigration sweeps, among other forms of activism.

In San Francisco, around 200 protesters gathered peacefully outside the ICE facility at 630 Sansome St, where they made speeches and recruited people to join in future actions.

January 8

In downtown Los Angeles and downtown San Francisco, protesters gathered outside of federal buildings in both cities. In San Francisco, various organizations, including the San Francisco chapter of Indivisible, gathered.

A multi-organization labor coalition including the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 221, Unión del Barrio and San Diego Education Association, land many others—leads a weekly peaceful protest every Thursday outside the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse calling for ICE out of San Diego. Two members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors were scheduled to attend. One organizer, wearing a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 221 shirt was briefly detained and released. Another protest occurred in the evening.

In Fresno, the local branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation organized a protest attended by an estimated 100 people, with support from other organizations such as Central Valley Community Action, Peace Fresno, and Raza Against War. One photojournalist and one cameraman were hit by cars during the demonstration, and motorcycle police officers directed the crowd while waiting for an ambulance. No arrests were made.

The Long Beach branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation also organized a protest and vigil in Long Beach that was attended by hundreds of people. Local police confronted the protesters with batons, but no arrests or incidents of violence were reported.

January 9–10

On January 9, a performance of the song, "Ordinary World", was dedicated to Good by Duran Duran during a performance at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort. At a demonstration in Santa Ana, California on January 9, 2026, a 21-year-old protester was struck in the face by a projectile fired at close range by a Department of Homeland Security officer during confrontations outside a federal immigration building, according to video evidence and family statements in multiple media reports. He was taken to hospital, underwent about six hours of surgery, and was found to have skull fractures and fragments embedded in and around his eye and face; doctors have stated he lost vision in that eye permanently. The incident was captured on video showing him falling to the ground after being hit and then being dragged by a federal officer. Federal authorities have not publicly detailed the type of projectile used, while demonstrators and family accounts indicate it was a non-lethal crowd-control round. On January 10 in San Diego County, hundreds protested in Chula Vista, El Cajon, Encinitas, and Mira Mesa. In the San Francisco Bay Area, thousands of people gathered in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, San Jose, and more to hold signs. About 450 gathered on Ocean Beach to make a "human banner." More than 350 attended an "ICE Out for Good" rally at Fort Bragg. Another rally took place at the 24th Street BART Plaza.

Thousands rallied in downtown Los Angeles. Organizers cited the killings of Renée Good and Keith Porter, while signs read "Hands Off Venezuela." About 50 people gathered for a candlelight vigil honoring Renée Good in the city of Fontana in San Bernardino County.

January 11–17

On January 17, KCRA3 reported that a man protesting against ICE claimed he was attacked and had his vehicle damaged by counter-protesters in downtown Sacramento. The alleged victim, Scott Stauffer, claims he was holding an anti-ICE flag when a group of counter-protesters drove up with flags supporting the Trump administration. Stauffer's vehicle obtained large cracks, along with the side window being completely shattered.

January 30

A protest was held on January 30, convening at Los Angeles City Hall, holding vigil for Renee Good and Alex Pretti. After this crowd dispersed a smaller crowd gathered at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Los Angeles, barricading doors and clashing with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Tear gas was deployed after protesters allegedly threw fireworks, rocks, and bottles at federal agents. Around 6 PM the Los Angeles Police Department issued an order to disperse, leading to a partial dispersal of the crowd. LAPD later came by and cited 50 people for a failure to disperse.

Colorado Protests took place in Good's home state of Colorado in the days after the killing, including in Aurora, Boulder, Centennial, Colorado Springs, and Denver.

Connecticut On January 8, about 150 people rallied in New Haven. In Hartford, an "altercation" occurred behind the courthouse when about two dozen protesters were pepper sprayed during a confrontation with ICE agents and a protester was knocked down by an ICE van. Other protests occurred in New London.

District of Columbia

On January 10, hundreds of protesters gathered at Lafayette Square, then marched around the White House towards the former Black Lives Matter Plaza. On January 11, demonstrators met at the George Gordon Meade Memorial on Constitution Avenue and after organizers gave speeches, the protesters marched to ICE headquarters

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer and State Representative Mara Gorman joined hundreds for a Sunday march on Main Street in Newark.

Florida On January 9, several organizations organized a protest and vigil in Tallahassee. A protest occurred in Coral Springs.

Hawaii On January 10, a crowd of over 300 protesters gathered in Hilo, Hawaii. On February 2, a vigil was organized in Hilo.

Illinois On January 7, a protest was held in Little Village, Chicago. On the night of January 7, a crowd of at least 200 protesters affiliated with the community defense group Protect Rogers Park gathered in Fountain Square, Evanston. From January 10 to 11, over 20 protests were held throughout Illinois, 5 of them in Chicago.

Iowa On January 11, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pentacrest in Iowa City and marched to the Ped Mall to honor the life of Renee Good. Hundreds also gathered at Evelyn K. Davis Park in Des Moines and Bandshell Park in Ames.

Louisiana On January 21 in New Orleans, Benjamin Franklin Highschool, NOCCA Arts Conservatory and New Harmony High School staged a walkout in response to the killing of Renee Good

Maryland On January 10, more than 100 protesters gathered in the rain along Rockville Pike in Montgomery County, Maryland. The protest was organized by the Third Act Movement with members of the Indivisible Movement later joining the protest.

Massachusetts On January 8, the Worcester branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Massgreens Green Rainbow Party, Independent Socialist Group, and the Worcester chapter of Indivisible organized a demonstration that was attended by about 200 people outside City Hall. Worcester Indivisible also organized a smaller, candlelit vigil in another part of town on the same night in honor of Good.

On January 23, 2026, more than 300 people gathered at South Bay in Boston to protest ICE and show solidarity with protesters in Minneapolis.

On February 2, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Veteran Affairs medical center in Leeds to remember Alex Pretti.

Michigan On January 13, 2026, Detroit Will Breathe held a protest in honor of Renée Good in which protesters called for ICE to be removed from Detroit and Michigan. The protest was attended by hundreds of people including a state senator and a state representative. Around 100 people held a vigil in Brighton, Michigan to honor Good. Approximately 75 people gathered for a vigil in Paw Paw and roughly 150 people gathered to protest Good's death in Grand Rapids. A protest occurred in Lansing on January 9 where members of the crowd expressed skepticism about the motivations leading to the shooting of Good.

Minnesota

On the day of Good's death, hundreds of protesters gathered at the location of the shooting. Later in the day, the crowd had grown to thousands. On January 8, protesters gathered outside of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, at least three people were arrested and several others were held on the ground by law enforcement, tear gas and pepper spray were also fired at the group. On the same day, protesters barricaded the location of the shooting to create a vigil. City workers removed the barricades shortly after, but preserved the memorial that had been established.

On January 9, Minneapolis and Fridley schools were temporarily closed after reports of ICE agents tackling people at Roosevelt High School a day before. In the evening, over 1000 protesters gathered outside the Canopy by Hilton hotel in downtown Minneapolis where ICE officers were believed to have been staying. Police Chief Brian O'Hara described it as a "noise protest" to disrupt those inside until protesters began causing property damage and one police officer was injured by thrown ice. At 10:15pm police declared the protest an unlawful assembly and 30 people were arrested, at which point the crowd dispersed.