San Diegans joined marches all over the county on Sunday, offering a show of support to people on the ground in Minneapolis as the federal government continues its chaotic deployment on the ground in Minnesota and elsewhere.
So far, at least two people have been killed without provocation by immigration agents in Minnesota in the last two weeks.
In response, San Diegans held solidarity marches throughout the county demanding limits to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s power. Hundreds of people gathered in La Jolla and marched through downtown — but the largest response by far was in Barrio Logan, where hundreds joined an interfaith procession led by Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
“It was a very moving event!” said Father Scott Santarosa, SJ, estimating that at least 1200 people attended the march. “It was by far the biggest procession we have ever had.”
“What motivated it was a felt need that people of faith would want to speak to what is happening in Minneapolis and in our country,” he added.
ICE is on the ground in Minnesota and elsewhere in what the federal government claims is necessary border enforcement, but which has resulted in few arrests of people actually breaking the law; instead, agents have shot and killed at least two peaceful observers — Renée Good and Alex Pretti — this month alone.
There are also so far unsubstantiated rumors of a flood of border agents coming into San Diego in the same way they have been on the ground in Minneapolis, which Fr. Santarosa said was a part of what motivated Sunday’s march.
“We wanted to re-claim our neighborhoods as sacred, because the people who live in them are sacred. So, we picked one neighborhood to walk, pray, sing, and dance, to reclaim the sanctity of the streets, homes, and residents,” he said.
“But this is representative of all neighborhoods of San Diego. They are sacred because the people who live in them are sacred. Their families are sacred,” Santarosa added.
“And it is unacceptable that a government agency like ICE should come in and tear families apart.”
