Santa Rosa community members came together to honor Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two individuals killed during recent altercations with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square Jan. 24.
The Sonoma County Democratic Socialists of America organized the protest. An estimated 250 people gathered in the square, holding signs with messages including, “Prison without due process is a concentration camp,” and “ICE is Trump’s Gestapo.”
“As long as this behavior is continuing from ICE, we’ll continue to show up and be in solidarity,” DSA media officer Brenna Thompson said.
Cameron Kaiser, secretary of the DSA steering committee, said, “I want this to be a cathartic event for people because people are really hurting. They’re struggling to see this.”
Other protestors echoed Kaiser. “I’m outraged by the unconstitutional use of ICE,” said Pamela Van Halsema, 59, of Santa Rosa. “We need to abolish ICE. They are harming people. They are not keeping us safe.”
Diego Roman Hernandez, president of the political science club and vice president of clubs at Santa Rosa Junior College, attended the protest. “I would like the [Sonoma County Sheriff’s office] to stop working for ICE,” he said. “I don’t think that is a good idea in a community so dominated by Hispanic immigrants. When I moved out here, I felt connected to the community and this understanding that this is a place where everyone is welcome.”
Santa Rosa resident Robin Lathem, 67, has been protesting since the early ’80s. “We may be in this for the long haul. We need to be ready,” she said.
Historically, fashion has played a role in activism. When asked what made him want to attend that day, Silver Galero said, “I really want to stand with all our minority people, our brown people, our women. All of the immigrants that are being treated horrifically across the United States, and now even we Indigenous Native Americans are being detained on our own land.” Galero was adorned in a traditional beaded necklace and earrings and wrapped in a banner that reads, “No one is illegal on stolen land”.
The crowd’s energy was palpable, with protestors chanting, “No Ice, no KKK, no fascist U.S.A.” Towards the end of the protest, an unidentified male agitator threw a cup of water at a speaker, proceeded to yell out slurs and tried to start fights with protesters. When a group of protesters confronted the man, he proceeded to hold his fists up to the group —- no one was harmed. The group decided not to engage him, even after he yelled out a racial epithet. He later left when no one engaged him, and the protest proceeded.
Cheyenne D. saw the video of Pretti being killed in Minneapolis and found it horrific. “I’m passionate about protecting our communities and creating a safer America for everybody,” she said.
According to the Deportation Data Project at UC Berkeley, ICE began arresting more people without a criminal record and made large arrests in communities since President Trump’s second inauguration. They found that in the past nine months, ICE arrests have increased by a factor of four. The American Immigration Council reports that in January 2025, there were 40,000 people in immigration detention centers, and by December 2025, there were 66,000 – almost a 75% increase.
Santa Rosa resident Maya Flores, 17, said, “You should be standing up for what is good. Don’t stay silent. Your voice matters.”
