Peaceful rally held in Raleigh critical of ICE actions, demands release of union leader
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- About 200 people gathered in Raleigh's Moore Square Monday afternoon, calling on the release of union leader David Huerta.
"It was shocking that they're really going there, that they are arresting peaceful observers at peaceful protests," said Jeremy Sprinkle, Communications Director for NC State AFL-CIO.
"We feel that people should be able to stand up for the rights of every human being and should not be detained or arrested for that," noted Rev. Mira Sawlani-Joyner, who serves as Minister of Justice, Advocacy and Change at Riverside Church in New York.
Huerta, who is the president of the Service Employees International Union California and Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, was arrested Friday as he protested immigration raids in Los Angeles. Video of the incident shows a confrontation between Huerta and a federal agent, in which the agent pushes Huerta as he had his hands on his side. Huerta fell to the ground and was hospitalized for his injuries; he has since been released.
ABC11 News learned that Huerta was released Monday afternoon on a $50,000 bond.
Bill Essayli, the US District Attorney for the Central District of California, addressed Huerta's arrest in a post on X, writing:
Federal agents were executing a lawful judicial warrant at an LA worksite this morning when David Huerta deliberately obstructed their access by blocking their vehicle. He was arrested for interfering with federal officers and will face arraignment in federal court on Monday. Let me be clear: I don't care who you are- if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted. No one has the right to assault, obstruct, or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties.
Attendees at Monday's rally held signs of Huerta's face, as they broadly criticized the ongoing work of ICE and federal immigration officials.
"We're not even talking about returning people to their home country after they go in front of a judge. We're talking about not seeing a judge at all and then maybe going to an unknown third country that is chosen by the administration seemingly at random. And so this is all very concerning to us," said Nikki Marin Baena, the Co-Director of Siembra NC.
"I feel as though more and more migrants are feeling unsafe because they are being racially profiled. I am a U.S. citizen, and yet I have been questioned about my legal status here in this country and I've been attacked for it," added Sawlani-Joyner.
Through the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term in office, ICE reported the arrests of "66,643 illegal aliens," noting three in four arrests were "criminal illegal aliens."
"We're not even talking about returning people to their home country after they go in front of a judge. We're talking about not seeing a judge at all and then maybe going to an unknown third country that is chosen by the administration seemingly at random. And so this is all very concerning to us," said Marin Baena.
"The Trump administration has made it clear that they are prioritizing the worst first. But having said that, they're not going to look the other way if they come across people that have no other criminal offense in their background other than crossing the border illegally, which is a misdemeanor under Title Eight. It's a federal crime," said John Torres, who is the President of Security and Technology Consulting at Guidepost Solutions.
Torres formerly served as Acting Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the administrations of President George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He noted that the use of other federal law enforcement in detainment and deportation efforts represents a shift in policy from prior administrations.
"That is not something that was ever happening. It was usually ICE agents supporting those other agencies like DEA or FBI or ATF, with their own priorities," said Torres.
Monday's rally was largely contained to one side of Moore Square, with the rest of the park remaining open and unaffected. While a few Raleigh Police Department vehicles were visible, the gathering was orderly and peaceful, with attendees staying for less than two hours before leaving prior to 4:00.
"We need to stop these attacks on our communities," said Union of Southern Service Workers Chief Deputy Director Keith Bullard, during remarks to the crowd.
The Union of Southern Service Workers organized the rally, with others being held in other cities across the country.
"We have a right to go to work and not worry about these faceless masked people coming to take people away," said Bertha Bradley, more commonly known as "Mama Cookie", a longtime organizer with USSW.
The Trump administration has highlighted public safety concerns as reasons behind the deportation efforts.
"If it was serious about holding lawbreakers accountable, then President Trump never would have issued pardons of violent January 6th insurrectionists," said Sprinkle.
While campaigning, Trump highlighted the deaths of Jocelyn Nungary and Laken Riley, cases involving illegal immigrants.
More recently, terrorism suspect Mohamed Soliman, a 45-year-old from Egypt whose work authorization had expired, was arrested and charged after allegedly using a Molotov cocktail to attack people as they gathered for a peaceful rally in Boulder, Colorado calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Soliman, who allegedly disguised himself as a gardener during the attack, told police "he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead," court documents said. "SOLIMAN stated he would do it conduct an attack again."
He "said this had nothing to do with the Jewish community and was specific in the Zionist group supporting the killings of people on his land (Palestine)," documents said.
Torres, who was assigned to FBI Headquarters and part of a unit working to catch Osama bin Laden, stressed the national security considerations associated with the work of immigration officials.
"I saw firsthand what 19 foreign nationals who come here claiming to be students or visitors, the damage that they could do in bringing down the World Trade Center, as well as attacks in the Pentagon and Shanksville and Pennsylvania. So I see how simple it is for foreign nationals to come here and create serious harm. On top of that, you get a lot of people, over a million, that have come across the border illegally who commit additional crimes and in some instances, violent felonies where they're involved in drug trafficking or violent gangs. And that tars and feathers that the remaining 15 to 20 million that are here illegally," Torres explained.
Protests in Los Angeles, which at times turned violent, drew the attention of the Trump administration, which called in the National Guard and the military in response.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta are suing the Trump administration, saying they unlawfully "trampled over" California's sovereignty when they federalized the California National Guard.
"People see what's happening in their streets where our ICE agents and immigration officials and law enforcement are being attacked," said NCGOP Communications Director Matt Mercer.
Mercer, who just returned from the state GOP Convention this past weekend, believes the issue of illegal immigration will once again draw attention in 2026.
"President Trump's delivering a secure border. But more importantly, it's now Congress also has to do their part and pass President Trump's agenda. And the goal in 2026 will be to bolster those numbers here in the state, holding on to our Senate seat," said Mercer.
Senator Thom Tillis, who is up for re-election, posted a picture from the riots in LA, expressing his support for the One Big Beautiful Bill, noting it would increase the number of immigration law enforcement personnel.
NCDP Chair Anderson Clayton, who attended Monday's rally, believes the Trump administration is using the issue to distract voters from other topics.
"This is a tactic from Donald Trump to be able to do the smoke and mirrors of we're going to teach you who the big bad boogeyman is over here. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress right now are trying to strip away health care," said Clayton, referring to federal spending cuts as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
