SAN JOSE — Hundreds of community members stopped traffic in East San Jose Tuesday afternoon while protesting against President Donald Trump’s threats of mass deportations.
With lowrider trucks parked along the intersection of Story and King roads playing music, protestors marched through traffic and brought the intersection to a standstill, waving flags and with posters reading “No human is illegal on stolen land” and “Stop deportation.”
At the rally’s peak, protestors young and old stood on the intersection corners while others marched up and down the surrounding streets. While cars could still pass, drivers honked in support. People chanted, “Si se puede,” which translates to “yes you can,” and “ICE out of San Jose” as they stood on the street corners and walked up and down the roads.
“We just need to let [Trump] know he’s wrong,” said Teresa Alcaraz, a resident of San Jose. “We’re getting our voices across because that’s what we do.”
The protest came two days after the first reported activity of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Jose since the inauguration of Trump, who came into office threatening mass deportations across the country.
A student walkout that began Tuesday afternoon at William C. Overfelt High School walked about a mile to join the protest, with students starting by sharing speeches at the school before being escorted by the lowriders on the walk. Shortly after 2:30 p.m., the two protests combined.
Angel Lopez, a 15-year-old student from Overfelt, said that it is scary to hear what Trump has been saying about immigrants.
“We all feel that we all have a reason to be here, even if we’re here illegally,” he said. “A lot of my parents or my family members have told me that we must not be scared. We have to stand up against them.”
Armando Barbosa, who praised the students of Overfelt for their walkout, said he feels like his community is under attack and fears that hard-working families will be targeted. Barbosa escorted the students on the walk with other lowrider drivers.
“I’m out here to support the youth,” said Barbosa. “I’m very proud to be part of this community.”
“This is the land of the free, the home of the brave and opportunity,” Barbosa added. “We all have that opportunity to come and make a living and a future.”
Barbosa, whose parents immigrated from Mexico, said he wants to fight for “what’s right.”
“They came and made the sacrifices,” he said of his parents. “I need to continue to make that sacrifice.”
Some protestors gave speeches, prompting cheers of support from the crowd, and some protestors blew horns.
Alejandra Corona, a resident of San Jose, said that she came to show solidarity. She said that she has family members who are undocumented and feels that recent events have been attacking her community.
“With all the deportation that’s going on, it’s really heartbreaking to see that,” she said. “My mom is in constant fear all the time.”
Corona said that it is an “awful feeling” to see loved ones so afraid but added that she has been trying to make sure her mother is kept aware of what is happening and knows her rights.
“It’s gotten so bad,” she said. “I feel like everybody now is in constant fear.”
Corona added that she was impressed by the turnout and felt like this type of activism is what helps to make change.
David Zamudio, a resident of San Jose, said that he came to the protest to show that when his people are taken, they “won’t forget about them,” he said. Zamudio wore two flags around his shoulders — one American and one Mexican.
“Nowadays, there’s lots of divisiveness and anxiety, lots of tension,” he said. “I think in this moment in time, we need unity, and we need to come together as a human race.”
Zamudio said that he has noticed more anxiety among his family but that he personally does not feel fearful.
“I just hope they hear us,” he said. “We’re people too. We have souls, we have minds, we have feelings. … We’re here to live our lives to the best of our ability.”