Anti- ICE Protesters Shut Down 101 Freeway Over Trump’s Border Policy

Image: FOX Rochester

LOS ANGELES — Protesters waving Mexican flags and anti-ICE signs, shut down the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles in retaliation to President Trump’s newly announced border policies. Some protesters were seen burning American flags while demanding the right to remain in the U.S. illegally.

The protest began on Feb. 2, which started in downtown Los Angeles before spilling onto the freeway during rush hour, bringing traffic to a standstill. Thousands of demonstrators blocked lanes, some banging on cars, throwing beer cans and other objects off overpasses, and at LAPD.

Photo: Yahoo News

While protesters held signs reading, “Immigrants are not criminals,” the debate hinges on the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. The U.S. has long accepted immigrants who follow lawful entry processes, but crossing the border without authorization is a violation of federal law. The Trump administration has argued that the concern is not with immigration itself but with illegal crossings, which officials say threaten national security and public safety.

Authorities confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently targeting high-profile criminal illegal immigrants, including members of the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs, individuals with ties to ISIS, and those convicted of heinous crimes against children.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Biden administration had previously failed to recognize illegal border crossings as criminal acts.

“Under the new Trump administration, if you break our country’s immigration laws by entering illegally, you are now a criminal,” Leavitt said in a press briefing Tuesday.

Amid ongoing tensions, a separate protest, “A Day Without Immigrants,” began Monday afternoon. Police said demonstrators vandalized City Hall, pushing past barriers and reaching the steps, where they reportedly threw bottles at officers. Additional units were dispatched in response to the disturbances.

The situation remains ongoing as law enforcement continues to monitor and respond to the protests.