Nationwide Day of Action in Largo, July 25. Photo by Daria Mironova/WMNF News.
On July 25, more than 300 vigils took place across the United States as part of a nationwide Day of Action against immigration enforcement.
Remembering Lorenzo and Johan
The demonstrations also called for justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero, two immigrant fathers whose deaths this month acted as a rallying point for many of the events.
The organizers said Salgado Araujo, a father of three from Mexico, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Houston on July 7 while on his way to work. On July 13, Guerrero, a 26-year-old father from Colombia, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Maine. They noted that neither man was the intended target of the enforcement operations.
Protesters in Largo, FL. Photo by Daria Mironova/WMNF News
Call for action
In Largo, dozens of people gathered outside the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Faith leaders, community advocates, and residents carried signs reading “Stop Hunting People,” “We Are All Immigrants,” and “Justice for Lorenzo and Johan.” They also called on local officials to stop honoring ICE detainer requests without a judicial warrant and stop notifying ICE when people are scheduled for release from local custody.
Community leader Cathy O’Gara said she believes the public has become desensitized to violence tied to immigration enforcement. She urged people to speak out instead of remaining silent.
“No more murders,” O’Gara told the crowd.
The rally was part of the “Talk to Your Sheriff” campaign, a grassroots initiative that encourages sheriffs nationwide to reconsider their cooperation with ICE. O’Gara said the initiative is building a coalition of community organizations in Pinellas County to meet with the sheriff and push toward policy changes. She said law enforcement should remain accountable to the communities it serves.
Day of Action rally in Pinellas County. Photo by Daria Mironova/WMNF News
A question of national values
A Florida native, Peggy Goodale, said she attended the rally to turn her anger into peaceful action. She rejected stereotypes about immigrants and said they have long contributed to communities across the state. Goodale also drew parallels to earlier waves of discrimination in American history. She said many immigrant groups, including the Irish and Germans, once faced similar prejudice. She believes fear often fades when people get to know one another.
Another attendee, the Reverend Dr. Leddy Hammock, minister at Unity Church of Clearwater, said the immigration debate is ultimately about the country’s values. She urged community members to respond with compassion instead of fear.
“Who are we? What have we become?” Hammock asked. “We need compassion and justice, served with warmth.”
Protesters said they plan to recruit more local organizations and continue pressing for changes to the county’s cooperation with ICE.