Organizers behind the 'Disappeared in America' campaign are rallying for a national day of protests Saturday to oppose ICE's detention center expansion, building on energy from the No Kings protests where immigration enforcement was a top grievance.
The planned expansion, funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill, could add at least 116,000 detention beds across the U.S., along with 8 new mega-centers and 16 processing centers, according to Axios. These moves support President Trump's deportation goals.
Demonstrators under the 'Communities Not Cages' banner demand the administration cancel warehouse detention plans and urge localities to reject public funding or approvals for migrant detention expansion. They also call for transparency and community consent before any detention plans proceed.
The cash infusion from the One Big Beautiful Bill enables this ramp-up, but protests aim to block it at local levels. The outcome could test the administration's enforcement ambitions against grassroots opposition.
Critics argue expanded detention is necessary to enforce immigration law and deter illegal entry, framing protests as obstruction of lawful policy. Organizers, however, see civil disobedience as essential to halt what they term inhumane practices.