Chico residents joined a nationwide protest this week in opposition to the Trump administration.
Across all 50 state capitols, thousands of people gathered to protest recent actions of the administration. These include mass deportation efforts, the shuttering of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the elimination of foreign aid spending.
California is home to 10.6 million immigrants and nearly half of the residents in the state have at least one immigrant parent, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
In Chico, people gathered on Chico State’s campus to stand in solidarity with the North State’s immigrant population.
Chico State is a pillar of diversity within Butte County with 36% of its student population identifying at Latinx. By comparison, the U.S. Census Bureau reports 20% of Butte County’s population identified as Latinx in 2024.
Sel, a student who did not feel comfortable providing their last name, said many of their friends and loved ones are undocumented. For Sel, the issue of immigration rights is personal.
“We're standing up for immigrant rights and just a whole bunch of other issues,” they said. “For me personally, LGBTQ rights, social services, and other things that this administration is putting at risk.”
Martinez, another protester who declined to give his last name due to safety concerns, said he comes from an immigrant household.
“I came here to support my friends, my brothers, my sisters who are facing a very difficult time right now,” Martinez said.
Soid Estrada said she hoped the protest would bring awareness to the contributions of immigrants in America.
“We provide a lot for this economy. We provide a lot for this country,” she said. “It's kind of heartbreaking to see you pour all this hard work and your soul into this place that you call home and then be thrown out like you’re nothing.”
The Economic Policy Institute of America reports immigrants are a vital part of the economy and have led to higher wages for American-born residents and immigrants alike. It reports that immigrant workers generated $4.6 trillion dollars for the U.S. economy in 2022.
Estrada said America was built by immigrants looking to make a better home for themselves.
“It's incorrect to be thrown out of here as if land is just worth money, as if land is just worth nothing else,” she said. “It was supposed to be a safe haven for them.”
Protesters around Estrada shouted their agreement. They called for unity and an end to divisive national policies.
