Amherst Joins the Nation in Saying ICE Out for Good

by Maura Keene, Art Keene and Josna Rege

Hundreds of people gathered on the Amherst North Common in the freezing cold and blustery wind on Friday, January 30, to join Indivisible’s nationwide ICE Out shutdown. The local rally was organized by Amherst College Democrats and other community members to “protest the terror that ICE and the racist deportation machine have caused in our communities, resulting in the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this month.” This was the second consecutive week of national demonstrations, in solidarity with the city of Minneapolis and with the many people across the country who have been targeted by the agency, which the Trump administration seems to have given free rein to terrorize immigrant communities and all those who support them. 

The multi-generational crowd overflowed the cleared paths on Amherst’s North Common. Volunteers shoveled snow to clear more space for the growing crowd, estimated at 400 to 800. Speakers included Amherst Attorney John Bonifaz, co-founder of Free Speech for People, Amherst writer and organizer Jeff Conant, and Amherst Regional High School student Liana Page. Other speakers included a representative from LUCE (the Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts), an activist from Ecuador, and a member of the Amherst College Democrats.

Bonifaz spoke first, delivering a powerful, high-energy speech punctuated with loud shouts and cheers from the crowd. He delivered a clear message calling for Trump’s impeachment.  He said, “We are here today to stand up for our democracy, to stand up for our Constitution, to demand justice and accountability, and to demand: abolish ICE!” 

In another call that drew cheers from the crowd, Bonifaz asserted that Members of Congress must act on their duty to protect the Constitution by invoking the Impeachment Clause: “At this critical moment for our nation. Donald Trump has committed multiple abuses of power, multiple High Crimes against the state. He must face impeachment proceedings now!”

With a focus on Massachusetts, Bonifaz enumerated the many kinds of unlawful actions that ICE agents had engaged in, but insisted: “State and local prosecutors in Massachusetts and across the country have a sworn duty to enforce state criminal laws against federal agents who commit crimes in their states.” He reminded people that there is no such thing as absolute immunity when it comes to criminal behavior.

“JD Vance has said that federal ICE agents have absolute immunity. That is a complete fabrication of the law. While the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution allows federal agents to carry out their lawful duties across the country, they do not have immunity to commit murder, to kidnap, to commit assault and battery, and to engage in illegal detentions. They do not have immunity to commit crimes.” He called upon Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and district attorneys “to enforce state criminal laws against ICE agents for their unlawful actions in this state.”

In closing, Bonifaz exhorted the crowd to stand up to tyranny: 

“Tyranny only prevails with fear.  It does not have popular will on its side.  It does not have morality on its side.  It does not have the rule of law on its side.  It only has fear.  We will confront that fear.  We will stand up for our democracy.  We will stand up for our Constitution.  We will demand justice and accountability.  And we will demand the abolition of ICE.”

Local resident and long-time environmental activist Jeff Conant followed up on the importance of making ICE face the consequences of its actions.

“Like the people of Minneapolis are showing us, we don’t just need protest—we need all the tools of our state’s laws at our disposal. That’s why several of our town councilors are advancing an exciting resolution to hold ICE accountable for any criminal actions they perpetrate in our Commonwealth.”

Conant called for the town government to step up and state clearly that ICE is not allowed or welcome in our town. He wants all towns to make this declaration. Amherst Town Council, in particular, is being asked to pass a resolution to this effect. That resolution is sponsored by Town Councilors Jill Brevik (District 1), Amber Cano-Martin (District 2), and Ellisha Walker (at large). Conant asked residents to encourage their elected representatives to support the resolution.

Liana Page said, “I stand among my ARHS peers, friends, and community, because we believe in dignity, safety, and justice for all people.” She decried the separation of families and deportation of people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “not because they are dangerous, but because of where they were born.”

Event organizers Xyoa Wilding and Caroline Flinn said of the impressive turnout, “We are thrilled with how today’s rally went. I am very proud of everyone who showed up to combat authoritarianism on this cold Friday. As for what’s next, sustained action is the catalyst for change, and we hope to bring that here to Amherst. The goal of the events across the campus today (the national general strike) is not to show one-off solidarity, but to build up to longer actions and strikes. So, keep an eye and ear out for future actions.”

Amherst resident Robin Jaffin, noting the large number of students in the crowd said, “Today felt like a turning point. For the first time, students, high school and college alike, showed up and took the lead from those of us over 50 who have carried so many of the earlier anti-Trump protests. That matters. It means we are all refusing to accept fear, silence, or normalization of ICE violence. And from Massachusetts, we are making it clear that we stand with our neighbors in Minneapolis, Maine, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, and every community that has borne the brunt of ICE’s cruelty and intimidation.” 

The Amherst Pelham Education Association sponsored a “walk-in” at Amherst Public Schools on Friday morning. Members wore blue, “in solidarity with our union siblings in Minneapolis who are on the front lines at schools with ICE raids”, said union communications director Claire Coco. She added, “We stand with them as they protect the rights of students to come to school without fear, to get an education… We stand with them as they protect the rights of students to come to school without fear, to get an education.”