Immigrants in these Central Valley cities are protesting against ICE

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE//KGPE) - Central Valley communities and businesses took portion successful "A Day Without Immigrants" connected Monday arsenic portion of a large-scale protestation against caller operations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Protests archetypal began three weeks agone astatine Fresno's River Park pursuing reports of U.S. Border Patrol operations being conducted successful Kern County would soon marque their mode into the Central Valley. Since then, migrant communities and their allies crossed respective states person taken to the streets to marque their voices heard, calling for migration reform.

On Sunday, protesters gathered successful Fresno, Porterville, Visalia, and Merced peacefully advocating for the rights of immigrants plagued with the fear of being deported.

"I got to basal up due to the fact that they're coming for them. Otherwise, they're going to travel for maine beauteous soon," said Candida Vinegas, a protestor astatine Sunday's gathering successful River Park. "That's what it is. Wake up, aftermath up. Know your value. Stand up for your rights. Wake up. Wake up. Know your worth successful this country."

On Monday, arsenic portion of a greater nationwide protest, communities were encouraged to enactment successful "A Day Without Immigrants" wherever immigrants and migrant families abstain from school, work, and shopping.

Central Valley businesses specified arsenic Amigo Market successful Avenal, La Michoacana Plus and Con Azucar Cafe successful Fresno each announced connected societal that they person closed their doors successful solidarity. Demonstrators besides gathered astatine Reef Sunset Middle School successful Avenal and Academy Avenue astatine 5th Street successful Sanger connected Monday to proceed the pushback against national mandates.

Law enforcement agencies crossed the Central Valley acknowledged their beingness astatine these events is lone to mitigate nationalist information and not to infringe connected the people's First Amendment rights.