PITTSBURGH — A group of protesters gathered in Pittsburgh’s South Side to protest recent ICE raids.
Activists, religious leaders and members of the communities gathered at the Three Rivers Heritage Park before setting out on a march.
They walked to the ICE officer a couple of blocks away.
“I think that immigrants are being really abused, and this is not the way that our country should be. We have laws. It’s really lawless,” said demonstrator Joe Weale. “I was born and raised a Catholic in Pittsburgh and what’s going on is completely the antithesis of what I was taught growing up at a Catholic school and in a Catholic family.”
Casa San Jose organized the rally. They are a non-profit organization founded in 2014 that advocates for people in the Latino community.
The rally comes one day after ICE and the Department of Homeland Security raided Tepache Mexican Restaurant.
“I get this sinking feeling in my life knowing someone’s life is about to be turned upside down,” said demonstrator Cynthia Magistro.
Jamie Martinez, a Casa San Jose employee, said he was praying in Spanish from a loudspeaker during the ICE raid.
“All I could think to do in that moment was start praying. I pulled out a megaphone and started praying the rosary in Spanish. So the people inside who were probably scared to death could pray with us,” Martinez said.
An ICE spokesperson said 14 people were detained and are pending removal proceedings.
These operations by ICE and federal partners have happened across the area as part of a campaign promise made by President Donald Trump.
Martinez said he just wants everyone to be treated with dignity.
“Our community doesn’t stand for that. Pittsburgh is the city of good neighbors, I firmly believe that, the city of Fred Rogers. We have to do everything we can to show up for the people who are perceived as the least among us,” Martinez said.
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