Members of the Chico community came together on Friday afternoon in the streets of downtown Chico to protest against the Immigration Customs Enforcement raids and advocate for immigration reform.

The protest began at 4 p.m. in the Downtown City Plaza, with approximately 35 individuals from families to students to older individuals. The initial cheers and cries could be heard from blocks away. Protestors took to the streets of Chico around 4:30 p.m, where horns honked and protestors chanted. 

“Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here,” “Fuck Trump,” “No borders, no nations, stop the deportations” and “say it once, say it twice, we will not put up with I.C.E.” were all chants cried out by the crowd as they traversed among downtown. 

Jenny Ruiz, an exercise physiology student, and Jacqueline Cascione, an alumni of the social work program, were two of the many individuals who led chants as the crowd roamed. 

“It brings a tear to my eye to see the beauty of unity, and I am grateful to be a part of this community and bring awareness,” Ruiz said. 

Among the miles of protesting, the group took intermittent breaks to provide protestors a moment of relief from walking. During these breaks, members of the group worked to take care of each other; providing nourishment with various snacks and waters. 

Bo Gurnee, a digital media student, and Kamille Ollison, a game design student, were among those handing out water. 

“We wanted to pass out water to help support others,” Gurnee said. “We went to a protest on Thursday and forgot to bring water, and now want to make sure people are hydrated.” 

In addition to protesting efforts, individuals were handing out sticker sheets to write labels on and put across the town. Some of these stickers said, “Fuck I.C.E.,” “Immigrants are neighbors” and “Down with I.C.E.” The protest continued on, with more and more individuals joining until reaching about 55 people in the group. 

Protests are consistently occurring all over the country. Sacramento, Los Angeles, Houston and San Diego have all seen their own large scale protests. President Donald J. Trump has recently released a flurry of executive orders targeting immigrants. Dr. Joseph Morales, Chico State’s diversity officer, released a list of guidance and resources in an email to campus. 

In addition to providing links to various toolkits and resources from the California State University system, Morales shared tangible steps on what students should do in the case they are approached by immigration enforcement.

• Students should refer them to Morales at 530-898-3971, or [email protected]. In case students are unable to reach Morales, they are instructed to contact Mike Thorpe, member of Risk Management, at 530-898-6588, or [email protected]. 
• All members of our campus community are expected to notify Morales if an immigration officer seeks entry with the goal of executing a federal immigration order. 
• In the case that an immigration enforcement officer approaches a space that is not designed by campus (housing, shopping, etc.,) individuals should ask for name, identification number, agency affiliation, and a copy of any mentioned subpoena or warrant.
• In any of these case scenarios, individuals need to clarify they are not obstructing the process and need to consult with designated officials. 

Questions and concerns regarding immigration orders should be directed to Morales. 

Chico State offers a wide variety of supports including legal aid, the Dream Center, Know Your Rights Red Card, and counseling. 

Damon Gallegos can be reached at [email protected]