‘Melt the ICE’ Protesters in Detroit Unhappy with Immigration actions
Russ McNamara June 9, 2025Dozens protested outside a Detroit ICE facility, denouncing mass deportations and police violence against immigrants.
Editor’s note: Some photos in this story contain language that may be considered offensive to some readers.

A demonstrator in Detroit protesting ICE raids that are terrorizing immigrant communities country-wide.
Unhappy with the Trump Administration’s arrests of undocumented immigrants, about 50 protesters demonstrated near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Detroit on Sunday.
Mass arrests and deportations, including some that continue to violate court orders, have sent many to the streets in protest.
Over the weekend, law enforcement in Los Angeles, CA attacked protesters and journalists with tear gas and projectiles injuring dozens.
The crowd was small but vocal, chanting “Summer’s here, melt the ICE, immigrants deserve their rights,” along with chants in Spanish that included expletives aimed at ICE.

Mike Barber, a special education teacher from White Lake, was among them. He says he’s troubled by the administration’s actions.
“This is against what America stands for,” Barber says. “America is a nation of immigrants and now they want to kick them out without even looking at their papers.”
“It could be us next if we’re disliked.”
“I mean, here at Wayne State, we had people that got their F1 visas canceled,” Pico says. “These aren’t criminals, and the fact that Trump wants to portray them like that, I mean, he’s just racist.”
Jo Pico was drawn to protest after seeing the police-initiated violence in LA.

Leah Checchini of Hazel Park says her father immigrated from Argentina and that she believes everyone should have the same opportunity that he did.
“I have a lot of friends that are in the process of getting their papers taken care of and everything,” Checchini says. “So just seeing what’s happening to people is enraging, to say the least.”
Nationwide protests are planned for Saturday. It coincides with a planned show of military might by President Trump.
The President is celebrating his birthday with a military parade in Washington D.C.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.Donate today »