Following a series of executive orders concerning immigration, signed during President Donald Trump’s first week in office, Lexington residents united in a protest for immigrant rights.
People carrying Mexican, American and Honduran flags, as well as signs, met up on Sunday, Jan. 26 outside the Fayette County District Court.
The group marched along East Main Street to Rupp Arena, Thoroughbred Park and back to the courthouse.
“I feel like us Hispanics, we don’t really act upon (our feelings) . . . because we’re not trying to cause problems,” Andrea Marroquin, a protestor, said. “I’m here fighting the battle with our people . . . they mess with one, they mess with all at the end of the day.”
Protestors carried speakers playing music throughout the march, some started dancing during pauses in walking.
The group chanted in both English and Spanish, saying “dignity for all, fear for none,” “we are humans, not criminals” and “keep children safe, keep ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) out of schools.”
One of Trump’s executive orders, signed during his first week back in office, reversed a guideline that stopped ICE from conducting immigration raids in schools, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation.
“If our kids are not safe in schools, where else are they gonna be safe,” Marroquin said. “Why would they (ICE) think our immigrant kids are not off-limits? . . . Why are your kids allowed to be safe and not ours?”
Marroquin said she comes from an immigrant family and feels a responsibility to help immigrant communities.
ICE has already begun making arrests across the country. According to the BBC, 956 people were arrested on Sunday, Jan. 26.
Marroquin said while she does not think ICE raids will happen very much in Lexington, the Hispanic and immigrant communities need to be prepared for anything. She said in the past she has heard stories of immigrant children being separated from their families.
“I think our time has come where if we don’t act, things are just gonna keep getting worse,” Marroquin said.
During the protest, those driving by in cars honked their horns, rolled their windows down, and shouted messages both in support of and against the protestors.
“I hope that people take away that we cannot be broken,” Moss, a Bluegrass Community and Technical College student who asked for her last name to be omitted, said. “The goal is to pass that energy of hope and strength onto people.”
Moss said she has lived in Lexington her entire life, and she believes immigrants and other minority groups are an essential part of the city.
“It (Lexington) has always been colorful, it’s never been monotone. If anything, I feel like I’ve seen more people of color here than not,” Moss said. “This country runs on the backs of those they (the U.S. government) don’t deem worthy enough to sit in their higher seats of power which is, unfortunately, everybody that’s not a billionaire.”
Chris Staton said he was concerned about mass deportations and what would happen to the people affected by them.
According to NBC, Mexico rejected a flight meant to deport immigrants from the United States on Thursday, Jan. 24.
“They’re gonna deport people, and the country that’s taking them on isn’t going to take them. So it means they’re gonna have to put them in a concentrated area,” Staton said. “I would really like to not see little kids going through that, or anybody.”
Staton said he came to the protest to stand up against both mass deportations and hate in general. He said he would like Americans to find a common ground and look past their differences.
Moss said she thinks most Americans do not know the extent of the new Trump administration’s goals, especially regarding immigration, due to what she believes is censorship on social media and underreporting in the news.
According to The Guardian, people around the world protested Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 from Mexico City, London and Panama City.
“Nothing online here is the same as in other countries, there are protests going on all over the world for us right now and there’s nothing on the news about it,” Moss said. “Somebody somewhere still doesn’t want it to happen.”
At the end of the protest, some protestors handed out cards detailing the Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights for U.S. citizens and noncitizens in both English and Spanish.
One protestor said they planned to protest again at Village Branch Library on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
Andrea Marroquin • Jan 28, 2025 at 3:52 pm
No protest is going to be taking place today, January 28.