Thousands of Americans are expected to participate in nationwide protests on Saturday, July 18th, addressing three major issues shaping the upcoming midterm elections: violence by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, voter suppression, and datacenter construction.

More than 70 "ICE Out" rallies will take place as part of a National Day of Action demanding justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, two men fatally shot by ICE agents in the same week earlier this month. These killings have intensified calls to remove ICE from communities, with Durán Guerrero's death marking the 11th fatal shooting by federal immigration officials since the start of President Trump's second term.

Hunter Dunn, national press coordinator for 50501, said, “A lot of groups are signing on because we agree that ICE is terrorizing our communities, that we need to stop ICE terror, and to abolish ICE.” Organizers also seek the arrests of officers responsible for these shootings, according to Paul Ramirez, co-founder of immigrant rights group Valley Defense, which is hosting an "ICE Out" rally and vigil in North Hollywood, California.

The protests are not limited to urban and progressive areas but will also occur in rural and traditionally conservative regions. Barbara Arnwine, president and founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, emphasized the movement's goal: “Instead of people just showing up to a rally, to an event, we want them to become voting rights activists.”

Daryl Jones, a lawyer with the Transformative Justice Coalition, anticipates that recent voter suppression efforts will increase turnout, potentially mobilizing at least 100,000 people.

Additionally, grassroots groups have successfully delayed or canceled at least 75 datacenter projects worth over $130 billion in the first quarter of the year, according to a Data Center Watch report.

These protests reflect a broader rise in US demonstrations during President Trump's second term, with millions rallying against issues including authoritarianism, ICE enforcement, foreign wars, and economic inequality.

Sources