Tampa Immigrant Rights Coalition protest. By Sofia Caballero/WMNF News (July 19, 2026).
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On Sunday, the Tampa Immigrant Rights Coalition held an emergency protest to raise awareness of the murders by ICE within the past week. The 3 victims of the agency were Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas, Joan Sebastian Gurrero in Maine, and Juan Jairo Coronilla Duran in Florida. Tampa IRC held this protest in downtown Tampa outside of City Hall.
The protest consisted of a few speakers, with some having firsthand experience with ICE and their mistreatment. The protest also took a stand against the 287 (g) agreement. Tampa IRC member Yunquing gave insight into what this bill allows.
“We’re seeing a lot of local governments have signed on to the 287 (g) agreements, effectively allowing their local police to act as ICE agents,” Yunquing said.
To prevent this bill from going unopposed, Tampa IRC is asking community members to look at their local governments and their policies. Urging them to hold their local leaders accountable for their connections to ICE.
Another focus of the protest was the suppression of voices like Nadia Topete, an organizer for the Los Angeles chapter of the Immigrant Rights Coalition. Reminding the onlookers that their First Amendment rights can and should not be violated.
The organizers had a table with information on different political organizations and how to stay involved in the community. Some protesters brought their own signs that called for the abolition of ICE. Some dressed up as characters from the hit Hulu Show “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Evoking the idea that the United States is becoming closer to that fictional world than the democracy we know today.
Participants of the protest held signs that were made by the hosts of the protest. They included images of Lorenzo and Joan. Each of the signs had the slogans of “Justice for Joan Sebastian Guerro”, “Justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo”, or “Justice for all those killed by ICE”. Each sign had an English and Spanish variant.
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