The rallies formed part of a wave of nationwide protests condemning the administration’s immigration policies, foreign policy posture and governance style.
Protesters took to the streets in California and New York on Tuesday to demonstrate against the policies of United States President, Donald Trump, as he marked the first anniversary of his return to the White House.
The rallies formed part of a wave of nationwide protests condemning the administration’s immigration policies, foreign policy posture and governance style.
Demonstrators carried placards bearing messages such as, “The power of the people is greater than the people in power!” “Honour our veterans,” “Abolish ICE,” “ICE must go,” “From Los Angeles to Minneapolis, stop ICE terror,” and “Impeach the PEDO.”
Speaking during the protest, Blair Thomson said the country had become deeply divided under the current administration.
“This is not the United States anymore. This is the divided states. They thrive on dividing us, forcing us against each other. This is not America first, this is America alone,” Thomson said.
Another protester, Ryley Johnson, called for congressional action against the president.
“We have a Congress for a reason. They should impeach him. He’s broken laws, he's broken so many laws, and he will continue to break them, and he will lie about it,” Johnson said.
Anne Jaffe Holmes, also speaking at the rally, criticized the president’s conduct in international affairs.
“It seems like every day since this president was inaugurated, there's been a reason to protest, frankly.
“But the latest, Greenland and insults to our allies in NATO, and the threatening to revert to imperialistic behaviour of taking over another country,” he said.
“I just can't believe the audacity and stupidity of the President of the United States.”
Addressing protesters on behalf of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Andre Easton said the administration was fulfilling what he described as its core agenda.
“Today is January 20th, 2026, and it is only 20 days into the new year, and I can say that this administration is doing exactly what it is built to do. This administration is perpetuating violence,” Easton said.
Meanwhile, President Trump has complained that he is not receiving sufficient credit for his actions in office, according to AFP.
Across the country, thousands of U.S. workers and students marched through major cities and university campuses to oppose the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
On the first anniversary of Trump’s second term, protests erupted nationwide following widespread outrage over recent immigration enforcement actions, including incidents involving federal agents that have drawn public condemnation.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C., and in smaller cities such as Asheville, North Carolina, where crowds marched through downtown streets chanting, “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA,” according to online videos.
The Trump administration has maintained that it has a mandate from voters to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
However, recent polls indicate that most Americans disapprove of the use of force by officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies.
University students in Cleveland, Ohio, were seen chanting, “No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here,” while high school students in Santa Fe, New Mexico, walked out of classes to attend a “Stop ICE Terror” rally at the state capitol, according to protest organisers and school officials.
The protests were organised by left-leaning groups, including Indivisible and 50501, alongside labour unions and grassroots organisations opposing immigrant detention camps.
Among the sites drawing criticism is a detention facility in El Paso, Texas, where federal authorities say three detainees have died in the past six weeks.
Demonstrations were expected to continue later in the day in western cities such as San Francisco and Seattle, where further rallies were planned.