LOS ANGELES — Thousands of participants took to the streets in Southern California on Sunday to protest proposed mass deportations. In downtown Los Angeles, demonstrators effectively shut down a major freeway for several hours.
The protests began at LA’s historic Olvera Street, a landmark of Spanish and Mexican heritage, before a march to City Hall. Activists demanded comprehensive immigration reform, showcasing messages such as “Nobody is illegal.”
By midday, marchers occupied all lanes of U.S. 101, leading to significant traffic congestion in both directions. The protesters sat in the lanes as California Highway Patrol officers monitored the situation. It took over five hours for the freeway to fully reopen, as confirmed by CHP officials.
Authorities reported no arrests during the protests, according to the CHP and local police.
In Riverside, hundreds joined a separate protest, with passing motorists showing support by honking and cheering for demonstrators displaying flags at a busy intersection.
Further south in San Diego, hundreds rallied near the convention center on the same day.
Meanwhile, in Texas, downtown Dallas witnessed twin protests against recent arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, attracting approximately 1,600 participants, as reported by local police.
Marchers displayed both Mexican and American flags, voicing their discontent over the administration’s stance on deportations and expressing sentiments that “Immigrants Make America Great.”
