Two anti-ICE rallies to be held locally, while a pro-ICE rally is in Boise
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IDAHO FALLS — People in east Idaho’s two largest cities plan to show their opposition to a controversial federal agency this weekend.
They’re happening at the same time as a Boise rally planned to show support for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and its officers.
Two separate events are planned in Pocatello and Idaho Falls on Saturday, where community members will rally against recent actions of ICE agents, standing in solidarity with protestors in Minneapolis.
In Pocatello, protestors will gather for “We Walk with Minnesota” at 11 a.m. in Caldwell Park. In Idaho Falls, the “Ice Out Rally” will begin at 2 p.m. at the Broadway Bridge.
According to organizers of both events, their purpose is not just to show opposition to the actions of federal ICE agents, but also to show support for every neighbor in their community.
“If we’re not looking out for our neighbors, who’s going to look out for us?” said Miranda Armenta, an organizer in Idaho Falls.
These rallies will take place on the same day as a rally in Boise, where attendees will show their support for ICE agents. Chad Christensen, a former Idaho state representative, is scheduled to speak at that rally.
“We all knew this was (President Donald Trump’s) plan to deport criminal illegal aliens and get them out of here, so we want to show our support,” Christensen said.
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Taking sides, showing support
In Pocatello, protestors will hear from two local pastors, Reverend Michael Conner of First United Methodist Church and Reverend Haydie LeCorbeiller of Trinity Episcopal Church, before they march from Caldwell Park to the Bannock County Courthouse.
While not required for participation, Elmer Martinez, an organizer with Southeast Idaho Citizens for Democracy, suspects many protestors will wear whistles, in solidarity with people in Minneapolis who blow whistles to alert their neighbors that an ICE arrest is taking place.
Martinez told EastIdahoNews.com that the protest is open to anyone, regardless of their political affiliation.
“This is a nonpartisan effort. It doesn’t matter your party, this is about country, our county,” Martinez said.
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People who attend the rally in Idaho Falls will find it to be more of a “community gathering than a protest,” Armenta said. Organizers plan to distribute informational packets called “Zines” — which is short for magazines — voter registration cards and whistle kits.
The organizers are also trying to organize a local ICE watch, and Armenta says they’ll work carefully to vet those who want to be involved.
“The reason we’re getting ICE watch together is … so we can have a team dedicated to verifying (potential sightings), so we know what’s real and what’s not,” Armenta said.
The way she sees it, these strategies are a way to prepare if the city sees an increase in ICE arrests.
“I believe that it’s very important that we have something in place before anything ever happens,” Armenta said.
And Martinez wants people who oppose ICE in Pocatello to know they’re not alone in that belief.
“In Idaho, people need to see that there are people who care, and who care about their neighbors. … That’s a humanistic response, that many people, all over the country, don’t like seeing somebody get hurt — or kids taken from their parents, or women and children being put in detention centers,” Martinez said.
While Christensen asserted his belief that local protests aren’t “accomplishing anything,” he said he was motivated to speak at the rally in Boise because he believes protests across the country are damaging ICE agents’ morale.
“We’ve had a lot of negativity come at (them), and I’ve been an officer myself. I know that negativity can really get you down,” Christensen said.
How would Idahoans react to ICE arrests?
If Pocatello were to ever see ICE arrests taking place on the same scale as Minneapolis, Martinez hopes that the community would react similarly.
“Pocatello has a rich history of all kinds of different people living here. And I hope that we could learn from Minneapolis’ response,” Martinez said.
In contrast, Christensen says that the vast majority of people support ICE arrests, and theorizes that some businesses in east Idaho would offer a free meal to agents.
“I don’t dislike them for using their First Amendment protection to free speech. That’s your right,” Christensen said, later continuing, “Idaho overwhelmingly voted for Trump, and these people are the minority that didn’t vote for Trump, that are just being loud.”
Still, Armenta points out that it’s easier for a person to care about someone who they know and are close to.
“I think that it would change a lot of people’s minds if they saw it happening to their neighbor closest to them — not a neighbor out of state, but their actual, literal neighbor,” he said.