by Clara-Sophia Daly and Béatrice Vallières January 30, 2026 (MissionLocal.org)

Thousands of San Franciscans, including many students, descended upon Dolores Park on Friday afternoon to join the “ICE Out” walkouts taking place in dozens of cities across the country today. 

Friday’s “National Day of Action” was organized as a response to the immigration crackdown in Minnesota and the protests that have ensued since Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both U.S. citizens, were killed by federal agents. 

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The crowd in Dolores Park held signs reading “Defend Democracy: It’s time for a general strike!” and “ICE OUT!” They waved American, Palestinian and Mexican flags, and began arriving at the park in numbers after 1 p.m.

Students walked out of schools across the city, including at George Washington High School in the Richmond District, to join the protest, carrying signs and hollering. “Let’s get it moving, people!” one shouted, directing classmates.

Santiago Flores Knapp, 16, and Luca Ionescu-Zanetti, 16, took the train to San Francisco today after attending their morning classes at Berkeley High School.

https://videopress.com/embed/fJQcT0sn?cover=1&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=1&hd=0Students walking out of class at Washington High School in the Richmond for the “ICE Out” strike.

“This a personal thing for me in the community,” said Flores Knapp, who has friends who are directly impacted by federal immigration policies.

Ionescu-Zanetti was particularly concerned about federal agents masking their identities. “There’s a lot of obscurities about ICE agents keeping their identities anonymous … when you’re not being clear with the public it can be a violation of freedom to protest and speech,” said the high school junior.

Gael Garcia Solano, 18, is a student at University High in Pacific Heights. He and about 30 of his classmates walked out of class earlier today. “Myself, as an immigrant, I’ve been discriminated [against] a lot, especially in San Francisco, which is kind of surprising,” he said. “But I want to fight for our people who are being abused by and overpowered by ICE agents.” Solano said this was his first protest.

Organizers said they are hoping to replicate the success of a “general strike” that took place on Jan. 23 in Minneapolis, when hundreds of businesses shut down and thousands of people filled the streets to lambaste Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The group 50501 said that marches were planned coast to coast, and students at the University of Minnesota called for academic walkouts. In San Francisco, at least 70 businesses said they would close.

Supervisor Jackie Fielder was in attendance at the rally. “I’m just so heartened, every single square of this park that I can see is covered with people,” Fielder said. “Should [federal agents] become unpredictable, there will be a massive response.”

Street signs surrounding the park were covered with stickers reading “ABOLISH ICE” and “FUCK ICE.”

At one point during the rally, about a dozen young people gathered in a dance circle while some played the drums.

Eliana Roque, one of the young dancers, said they were from a local Brazilian carnival dance and percussion group. Rorque, who is 17, is a sophomore at a Bay Area high school. “My mom was born and raised on 24th and Florida, so I’m a Mission girl,” she said, adding that walking out of her classes today was “empowering.”

“We have to care and fight for each other,” she said. “This is all of our land. This is for our people.”

Mission artists Ali Blum and her husband Calixto Robles were at Dolores Park slinging screen-printed posters. “As community artists we have to help the movement especially of young people because they are the seeds of the future,” Robles said in Spanish.

One of the posters was designed by the couple’s 18-year-old daughter, a student at San Jose State. It read: “Immigration built this nation.”

Cat Carr, 69, had a picket sign that read “Super Callous Fragile Racist Sexist Fascist POTUS,” an ode to Mary Poppins.

“It just seems very inappropriate to me to bring those poorly trained pseudo-law enforcement in like hostile soldiers,” said Carr.

For Juliet Stroble Lacour, 12, and their mother Mina Lacour, today’s protest was a family affair. They took off middle school and work respectively to show out in solidarity with their community. The younger Lacour said their favorite part of the protest was seeing the person on stilts dressed up as the Statue of Liberty.

Their plan after the protest is to go to their favorite immigrant-owned Mexican restaurant on Mission St. “I love the idea of not spending money, but I also want to support our local businesses,” said Mina.

Protesters left Dolores Park by 3:30 p.m. and headed to City Hall, where they congregated and continued the rally.

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Clara-Sophia Daly

clarasophia@missionlocal.com

Clara-Sophia Daly is a multimedia storyteller and reporter who has worked both in print and audio. A graduate of Skidmore College where she studied International Affairs and Media/Film studies, she enjoys working at the intersection of art and politics, and focusing on the stories of individuals to reveal larger themes.More by Clara-Sophia Daly

Béatrice Vallières

beatrice@missionlocal.com

Béatrice is a reporting intern covering immigration and the Tenderloin. She studied linguistics at McGill University before turning to journalism and getting a master’s degree from Columbia Journalism School.More by Béatrice Vallières

Cheese Board Collective, Nabolom Bakery and the climbing gym Berkeley Ironworks were among the businesses closed in solidarity with the “no work, no school, no shopping” protest.

by Nico Savidge, Vanessa Arredondo and Felicia Mello Jan. 30, 2026

Berkeley residents joined a nationwide strike against the Trump Administration’s immigration policies on Friday, as several local businesses closed their doors and hundreds of people took part in protests across the city and region.

The “no work, no school, no shopping” demonstration backed by student organizers at the University of Minnesota had drawn support from immigrant rights groups, unions and celebrities across the country. A list of demands on the website NationalShutdown.org includes calls to defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and justice for four people who have been fatally shot by federal agents in recent months.

Berkeley’s Cheese Board Collective wrote on its website that it was closed Friday “in solidarity with Minneapolis and all immigrants and their supporters.”

The West Berkeley cafe CoRo Coffee Room was also shuttered. A container of free coffee and several paper cups were left outside the shop Friday morning, with a request that people instead donate to the San Francisco legal services organization La Raza Centro Legal.

Other closures included Nabolom Bakery, Tessier Winery, Broc Cellars winery, Bageltopia, Metro Lighting and Touchstone Climbing, which operates the Berkeley Ironworks rock climbing gym.

“Like many Americans, we are very concerned by the unlawful and abusive actions of federal immigration enforcement right now in our country,” a post from Bageltopia read. “Human dignity and constitutional rights are at risk and our leaders need to hear how we feel about it.”

Some merchants expressed support for the protest but opted to remain open — Amoeba Music, Rose Pizzeria and the bookstore Mrs. Dalloway’s were among several businesses that said they planned to make donations to immigrant rights organizations.

“To be honest it’s hard to close on a Friday because it’s the one day that carries the rest of the week on its back,” the South Berkeley restaurant Rose’s On Adeline wrote in a post. “But just know we are a safe space no matter what.”

Teachers, students rally outside schools

About two dozen Cragmont Elementary School teachers, staff and community members gathered at Marin Avenue and Spruce Street after school let out Friday to protest ICE and stand in solidarity with people in Minneapolis. Parents and children joined the demonstration with drums and tambourines, as students chanted “No ICE, no kings!” from behind a playground fence.

Theirs was one of several protests held at schools around Berkeley Friday afternoon.

Cragmont science teacher Jill Montgomery coordinated the effort, which began a couple days ago through texts and on a Facebook group with members of the school community.

“A lot of our schools are vulnerable, with vulnerable populations, so we’re just making sure that the whole community knows that all of us stand behind them,” Montgomery said.

Fourth-grade Cragmont teacher Susan Killebrew said educators felt compelled to show their support because so many of their students come from first‑ and second‑generation immigrant families.

“Immigrants are brave people who add so much to our communities, and we can’t let certain politicians start to use [immigrant] as if it’s a bad word,” Killebrew said. “As an old lady school teacher, I think it’s important to show this isn’t a fringe issue; we all feel this way.”

Hundreds protest at UC Berkeley

College, high school and middle school students gathered on the UC Berkeley campus at noon Friday, carrying signs including “Abolish ICE” and “Land of the Free.” The crowd of about 500 people marched to the Downtown Berkeley BART station, where most hopped onto trains to join up with a larger protest at Mission Dolores Park in San Francisco. Another rally was held in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood Friday.

“Minneapolis called, and we answered!” an organizer from Students for Socialism yelled to the crowd.

“People are literally being executed in the streets right now, and I feel so weighed down by that,” said Julia, a UC Berkeley student who asked to be identified by her first name only. “Anything I can do to channel positive energy and come together as a community, I want to do.”

At least a dozen Willard Middle School students said they had walked out of class to attend the protests. 

“We just don’t stand for anything that ICE stands for,” said Tillie, an eighth-grader. “I feel like we couldn’t just sit in class and let that happen while everyone else was protesting.”

In a message to families Thursday, Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel wrote that schools would be open as usual Friday. While the district “recognizes the power of collective action and supports every person’s right to peaceful protest,” Ford Morthel wrote, teachers would take attendance as usual.

At the BART station, protesters lined the sidewalk, chanting: “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA!” A car horn beeped in time to the beat.

Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra said she had closed her office, which represents the Southside neighborhood near campus, in solidarity with the protests. 

“I think it’s beautiful to see so much intergenerational solidarity,” Lunaparra said at the Berkeley protest. “There are so many young people and children here along with lifelong veterans of progressive causes, and that’s very heartwarming to be able to see.”

Staff writer Tracey Taylor contributed reporting.

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nico@berkeleyside.org

Nico Savidge is Berkeleyside’s associate editor, and has covered city hall since 2021. He has reported on transportation, law enforcement, politics, education and college sports for the San Jose Mercury… More by Nico Savidge

vanessa@berkeleyside.org

Vanessa Arredondo covers education and general-assignment stories for Berkeleyside as a 2024-2026 California Local News Fellow. A Chicana journalist born to a family of hard-working Mexican immigrants,… More by Vanessa Arredondo

felicia@berkeleyside.org

Felicia Mello covers UC Berkeley and other East Bay colleges as Berkeleyside’s senior reporter for higher education. She works in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on strengthening… More by Felicia Mello

• Madeleine Kashkooli & Ajith Araiza-Singh | Staff
• Jan 29, 2026 (dailycal.org)

Union members protested during an event featuring UC President James B. Milliken at the nation’s oldest public forum in San Francisco tonight.

Outside the event, about 70 protesters from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME 3299, picketed and called for the UC to reach a contract agreement that would provide them with affordable housing and a living wage. AFSCME 3299 represents approximately 40,000 service, patient and skilled craft workers in the UC system.

The event, titled “Introducing U.C. President James B. Milliken,” was hosted by the Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, an organization that regularly hosts high-profile public forums. The event consisted of a free-form interview and Q&A section moderated by UC Berkeley alumna and ABC7 News Bay Area anchor Kristen Sze.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons was in attendance, along with various UC administrators and officials.

During the event, Milliken discussed the Department of Justice’s $1.2 billion settlement proposal with UCLA, stating that paying the settlement would “devastate” the UC system.

“We’re not going to compromise on our independence, our governance, our mission and our academic freedom,” Milliken said to applause, before adding that he is willing to “sit down and talk” with the federal government about alleged antisemitism.

Carmen Lee, one of the four protesters escorted out of the event, has worked as a shuttle driver for UCSF for more than 17 years. She said the union’s message to Milliken about affordable housing holds personal significance to her, as she was previously unhoused and has lived in public housing the entire time that she has worked for the UC system.

“I’ve always had a dream to buy a home, but I never could afford a down payment to do that,” Lee said.

At least six UCSF police officers arrived after the protesters had been escorted out of the event. The protesters outside peacefully dispersed less than an hour after the event concluded.

“UC is committed to supporting its workforce in a responsible and sustainable way by providing competitive wage increases that allow employees the flexibility to address their individual needs, including housing, childcare, and other living expenses,” said UCOP spokesperson Heather Hansen in an email.

AFSCME 3299-represented workers across the UC system went on strike in November 2025 over the “university’s failure to settle contracts” that address cost of living crises. Recently, members have taken to Instagram to voice their displeasure over the union’s failure to secure a contract, despite monthslong negotiations with the UC system. 

As attendees left the building, one expressed that she “really enjoyed the event” but was “disappointed” that AFSCME 3299 protesters had interrupted it.

“Some things never change,” added another attendee.

• Jackson Woodward | Staff
• Jan 30, 2026 (dailycal.org)

ASUC staffer Luca Martinez met Saikat Chakrabarti, a progressive running for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s seat in Congress, at a town hall meeting in December 2025. 

Martinez asked Chakrabarti to come to campus, and Wednesday night, around a month later, Chakrabarti was there. 

Over roughly an hour and a half, Chakrabarti presented his campaign and took questions from campus students as part of an event titled “How Grassroots Movements Beat Establishment,” organized by ASUC senator Margaret Solomon and South Asian Office Chair Niyati Ram. 

In an interview with The Daily Californian after the talk, Chakrabarti said he had been considering protections of freedom of speech. 

“You have to pass legislation that proactively protects freedom of speech at universities, protects the campus protesters,” Chakrabarti said. “I think it’s been a real shame that we’ve passed legislation in California, one of my opponents has in fact (supported the legislation), attacking campus protestors, attacking freedom of speech.”

California Sen. Scott Wiener, who is also running for Pelosi’s seat, sponsored SB 108,which pressured the UC system to tighten restrictions on student protests following the 2024 pro-Palestinian encampments.

“These are the Trumpian tactics that we are seeing being utilized against protesters and students all over,” Chakrabarti said. “We’re seeing the same kind of stuff coming out of our own state senator here.”

While Chakrabarti is running to represent San Francisco in the 11th Congressional District — which does not include Berkeley — he said Berkeley students often canvass for his campaign, and that his aspirations in Congress reach beyond the borders of the 11th District. 

Some of Chakrabarti’s aspirations include making public colleges and trade schools tuition-free and expanding federal support for new housing developments. 

“A lot of the things I’m talking about … (require) some optimism,” Chakrabarti said. “My experience in politics has been that optimism, that belief, comes from younger people.”

Steadily rising tuition across the UC system has previously drawn criticism from multiple student organizations. 

Chakrabarti’s presentation Wednesday drew on his experience as a staffer for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, as well as his brief tenure as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s chief of staff. Chakrabarti left that position amid controversy surrounding his aggressive approach to what he would call “establishment” Democrats.

“Part of my politics is (that) you create the moment and you honestly push and make that movement happen,” he said. 

While ASUC members and campus students questioned Chakrabarti on Wednesday night, the senators also said they were taking notes. 

After the talk, Martinez said campus administration should not be surprised if students practice civil disobedience in the future.

By Scott Ostler, Sports Columnist Jan 28, 2026 (SFChronicle.com)

Gift Article

President Donald Trump greets FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Dec. 5.Tasos Katopodis – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

When President Donald Trump humbly accepted the coveted FIFA Peace Prize, little did he know that his greatest peacemaking challenge lies ahead: saving this summer’s World Cup from chaos created by the old peacemeister himself.

The plan is for 11 U.S. cities, including San Francisco/Santa Clara, to host 78 of the World Cup’s 104 matches.

That’s the plan. However, there is a growing worldwide movement to poop the American party via boycotts by fans and players.

The Bay Area will have a say in that business. The Super Bowl will be held in Santa Clara a week from Sunday, and the fun is already starting. A thousand cool events are planned and tens of thousands of fans will be coming to America’s biggest party.

If all goes well, that might take some of the steam out of the boycott movement. If there are problems — and Minneapolis knows what we’re talking about — the world will take an even harder look at coming to America for the World Cup this summer.

Already there are worrisome elements. ICE has promised to be on hand for this Super Bowl. We’ve saved their agents a lot of trouble, since most of the car windows in San Francisco have already been shattered.

ICE was at the last Super Bowl in Santa Clara, but busied itself mostly with driving out the sellers of non-licensed Super Bowl T-shirts. This time ICE’s presence has a different feel, having been first announced in reaction to the news that ICE-wary Bad Bunny would headline the halftime entertainment. 

Any ICE-related clashes or unrest surrounding the Super Bowl will be fuel for the boycott-the-World Cup bandwagon, which is already chugging along nicely.

A Swiss attorney named Mark Pieth, who led an investigation of FIFA corruption a decade ago, said in a newspaper interview, “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home, if they’re lucky.”

Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president, wrote on social media, “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”

Other sports and political leaders in many countries are piping up, urging fans, players and teams to boycott. What’s their beef? They select from the menu that includes Trump’s attempts to take Greenland, his punitive tariffs, his destabilization of the world’s politics, and the aggressive and deadly immigration roundup that has come to a head in Minneapolis.

The FIFA Peace Prize winner himself kicked off the boycott. In December, Trump announced an expansion of his travel ban that would shut out many fans from Senegal and Ivory Coast. Also disinvited to the party by Trump bans: fans from Iran and Haiti, whose teams qualified for the Cup.

Those empty seats at American venues could easily be filled, but there are increased calls for boycotts by players and teams.

“I really wonder when the time will be to think and talk about this (a boycott) concretely,” said Oke Göttlich, a German soccer federation executive, in a newspaper interview. “For me, that time has definitely come.”

If a boycott would adversely affect players, Göttlich said, “The life of a professional player is not worth more than the lives of countless people in various regions who are being directly or indirectly attacked or threatened by the World Cup host.” (The German federation’s president, Bernd Neuendorf, was quick to dismiss Göttlich’s call for a boycott as coming from a lone representative, the Athletic reported.)

Adding to the mix, Trump has threatened to move World Cup games from any U.S. host cities where games would pose safety concerns, seemingly aiming his threat at cities with Democratic mayors and what he calls “crime problems.” And Trump has a very sensitive crime-problem meter, having declared that Los Angeles and Portland were burning to the ground after a couple of Waymos went up in flames.

Also, we know how Trump feels about Gov. Gavin Newsom. And vice versa.

So fans and teams heading to America for the Cup will be playing Trump roulette. Will the games be rerouted to other cities? Will fans who look, you know, different, or who step out of line in any way, be subject to unpleasant scrutiny? Will action by ICE or other federal agents turn a soccer match into a war zone?

Beyond the logistics, there are moral issues. South African politician Julius Malema likened a potential boycott to what his country experienced during apartheid, when it was widely boycotted by other nations and groups for violating human rights and international law.

“We cannot sit back and allow a person to destabilize the world, and it becomes business as usual,” Malema said. “That is an act of cowardice.”

After all the political rhetoric, the potential boycotters and everyone planning to come to America this summer for the World Cup will be watching how the Super Bowl unfolds in Santa Clara with great interest.

Trump himself has said he won’t attend the game, because it’s just too darn far for him to travel. He has also expressed disgust with the NFL’s choice in musical entertainment at the Super Bowl — Bad Bunny and Green Day, neither of whom are on Trump’s DJ playlist.

It’s hard to imagine Trump blowing off the chance to be the headliner at America’s biggest party. He sees himself as a major mover and shaker in the sports world. He once tried to buy an NFL team, and he is demanding that the Washington Commanders’ new stadium be named after him.

Whether Trump attends the Super Bowl, his presence will be felt.

He will be watching, and so will the world.

Jan 28, 2026

Scott Ostler

Sports Columnist

Scott Ostler has been a sports columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle since 1991. He has covered five Olympics for The Chronicle, as well as one soccer World Cup and numerous World Series, Super Bowls and NBA Finals.

Though he started in sports and is there now, Scott took a couple of side trips into the real world for The Chronicle. For three years he wrote a daily around-town column, and for one year, while still in sports, he wrote a weekly humorous commentary column.

He has authored several books and written for many national publications. Scott has been voted California Sportswriter of the Year 13 times, including six times while at The Chronicle. He moved to the Bay Area from Southern California, where he worked for the Los Angeles Times, the National Sports Daily and the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Nicole Charky-Chami

January 28, 2026 (RawStory.com)

Outrage erupted Wednesday after the two Border Patrol agents believed to have killed 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis were placed on paid leave.

The Department of Homeland Security has not named the two officers or disclosed further information about the shooting death. The move was referred to as “standard protocol after a shooting,” according to reports.

Pretti, who was carrying a licensed firearm in his waistband holster and did not brandish the weapon, was disarmed by federal officers before he was shot and killed.

ALSO READ: These Trump shills will be the first to turn on him — and he knows it

People responded to the news on social media and questioned the decision.

“Paid leave. A vacation,” journalist Laura Bassett wrote on Bluesky.

“They should be publicly identified and arrested,” user Brigham Narins wrote on Bluesky.

“Paid? Jesus, talk about an incentive for killing. I’m glad they’re off the streets but they are all bad apples so it’s not like the remaining goons are any better,” user May Kergen wrote on Bluesky.

“Desk duty…lol, as if those clowns can read,” filmmaker and writer John Handem Piette wrote on X.

“Murder someone, then get to chill at a desk and still get paid,” user OGDad wrote on X.

“Paid leave….they ALL need to be arrested!” Peggy Gabour wrote on X.

“Whoever that s— bag was that was gleefully clapping as Pretti was murdered needs psychiatry help. That is psychopath behavior,” user Charli Huxley wrote on X.

“Still no names though?” Former Bleacher Report columnist Peter Hopey wrote on X.

“The two agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti ought to meet with a lawyer. They may need it. Video shows Alex Pretti’s handgun was taken from his waistband before Border Patrol agents fired 10 rounds. Doesn’t sound like self-defense to any reasonable person,” Larry Boorstein, project manager, wrote on X.

US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at a press conference on October 29, 2025 in Washington, DC.

 (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Sen. Bernie Sanders also demanded “fundamental reforms” to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, saying they are “terrorizing” US communities.

Jake Johnson

Jan 29, 2026 (CommonDreams.org)

US Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday demanded the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller—a key architect of President Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation campaign—as well as concrete reforms in exchange for any new funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In remarks on the Senate floor, Sanders (I-Vt.) called ICE a “domestic military force” that is “terrorizing” communities across the country. The senator pointed specifically to the agency’s ongoing activities in Minnesota and Maine, where officers have committed horrific—and deadly—abuses.

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Sanders said that “not another penny should be given” to ICE or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “unless there are fundamental reforms in how those agencies function—and until there is new leadership at the Department of Homeland Security and among those who run our immigration policy.” The senator has proposed repealing a $75 billion ICE funding boost that the GOP approved last summer, an end to warrantless arrests, the unmasking of ICE and CBP agents, and more.

“To be clear, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller must go,” Sanders said Wednesday, condemning the administration’s attempts to smear Renee Good and Alex Pretti, US citizens who were killed this month by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Watch Sanders’ full remarks, which placed ICE atrocities in the context of Trump’s broader “movement toward authoritarianism”:

Sanders’ speech came as the Senate is weighing a package of six appropriation bills that includes a DHS bill with over $64 billion in funding—with $10 billion earmarked for ICE. Democrats have called for separating the DHS measure from the broader package and pushed reforms to ICE as a condition for passage.

Punchbowl reported Thursday morning that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the Trump White House are “negotiating a framework to pass five of the six outstanding FY2026 funding bills, as well as a stopgap measure for the Department of Homeland Security,” ahead of a possible government shutdown at the end of the week.

“Under this framework, Congress would pass a short-term DHS patch to allow for negotiations to continue over new limits on ICE and CBP agents as they implement President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown,” the outlet added. “If Schumer and the White House come to an agreement, there would still likely be a funding lapse over the weekend. The House, which is slated to return Monday, would have to pass the five-bill spending package and the DHS stopgap.”

In addition to demanding ICE reforms, a growing number of congressional Democrats are calling for Noem’s ouster as DHS chief in the wake of Pretti’s killing. Noem falsely claimed Pretti “arrived at the scene” in Minneapolis “to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.” Noem has attempted to blame Miller—who also smeared Pretti—for the lie.

More than three-quarters of the House Democratic caucus is now backing articles of impeachment against Noem, accusing her of obstruction of Congress, violation of the public trust, and self-dealing. Trump has thus far rejected calls to remove Noem, saying they “have a very good relationship.”

“The two agents who shot and killed Alex Pretti are now on leave, but Trump still backs Noem instead of firing her,” Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), the leader of the impeachment push, said late Wednesday. “I’m leading 174 members with articles of impeachment against Noem. The public is crying out for change. Enough is enough.”

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.

Jake Johnson

Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.

Full Bio >

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other members of Senate Democratic leadership arrive at a press conference on January 28, 2026.

 (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“With Trump’s ICE murdering our neighbors, kidnapping children, and terrorizing our streets, do Senate Democrats want to be remembered as fighters or as complicit?” asked one advocate.

Jake Johnson

Jan 29, 2026 (CommonDreams.org)

Every Senate Democrat, along with a small group of Republicans, voted Thursday to block a government funding package that includes $10 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, setting the stage for a fight over proposals to rein in the agency at the center of US President Donald Trump’s lawless and violent mass deportation campaign.

Ahead of the 45-55 vote, progressives voiced concern that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is on the verge of caving to Republicans and relinquishing critical leverage yet again, pointing to the emerging contours of a deal between the Democratic leader and the Trump White House as the January 30 deadline to avert a government shutdown looms. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has called the ongoing talks “very constructive.”

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The American Prospect‘s David Dayen reported Thursday morning that a possible framework under consideration would separate the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding measure—which includes $10 billion more for ICE—from the other five appropriations bills currently before the Senate.

A short-term continuing resolution—reportedly as short as two weeks and as long as six—would keep DHS funded at last year’s levels as negotiations over ICE reforms continue.

Schumer said his caucus has coalesced around a series of demands, including: a prohibition on federal immigration agents wearing masks, an end to roving ICE patrols, a body camera requirement, and use-of-force polices that align with those of local and state law enforcement.

“Body cameras and new training are not nearly enough to reverse the damage and terror that CBP and ICE have inflicted on our communities.”

Dayen noted that while Schumer said Senate Democrats are “united” on ICE reforms, “these asks represent quite a bit less than other demands expressed by senators over the past week.”

“Arguably many of these conditions are already part of ICE and [Customs and Border Protection] standards; the problem is a lack of enforcement,” Dayen wrote. “Indeed, a new directive sent to ICE agents late Wednesday night instructed them to avoid talking to community members (‘agitators,’ to use their word) and to only target immigrants with criminal charges or convictions. That would encompass a good chunk of the Schumer demands.”

https://x.com/ddayen/status/2016878562150953011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016878562150953011%7Ctwgr%5Ed1a20891e82804ca52212c2374166807f1ba7366%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2Fsenate-democrats-ice-funding

Britt Jacovich, a spokesperson for MoveOn Civic Action, expressed skepticism about the Senate Democratic leadership’s demands in a statement Thursday, warning that they don’t go far enough.

“With Trump’s ICE murdering our neighbors, kidnapping children, and terrorizing our streets, do Senate Democrats want to be remembered as fighters or as complicit?” Jacovich asked. “Body cameras and new training are not nearly enough to reverse the damage and terror that CBP and ICE have inflicted on our communities.”

Following Thursday’s vote blocking the appropriations package, Jacovich said that “Senate Democrats must continue listening to the pleas from Minnesotans, parents, schoolteachers, clergy, and the majority of Americans who want ICE reined in and hold the line until we can finally unmask these reckless agents, get ICE out of our homes, and bring families back together.”

Kate Voigt, senior policy counsel at the ACLU, said lawmakers’ vote against the appropriations package “is a testament to the power of the people, who made their voices heard and relentlessly called on their senators to rein in ICE’s abuses.”

“Public opinion is firmly against the violence, chaos, and abuse of our rights being inflicted by the Trump-Vance administration’s cruel mass deportation agenda. The American people don’t want to live in Stephen Miller’s dystopian police state,” said Voigt. “We applaud the senators refusing to be complicit in these police state tactics. Now we need them to insist on real, enforceable changes to rein in ICE and Border Patrol’s increasingly dangerous immigration enforcement operations. These safeguards aren’t just common sense—they’re critical to the integrity of our laws and our freedom.”

Despite mounting public pressure and nationwide anger over ICE atrocities—ideal conditions for a bold reform push—progressives are wary of Schumer’s ability to secure concrete changes given that, over the past year, he has engineered two Democratic surrenders in high-stakes government funding fights.

Organizer Aaron Regunberg on Thursday shared a new petition—hosted at MoveOn.org—calling on Schumer to step aside as leader of the Senate Democratic caucus.

“Chuck Schumer is poised (again) to throw away Democrats’ leverage with a deal that allows ICE weeks of completely unrestrained terror in the streets, so that once public outrage has subsided and Democrats are in a much weaker position, they can (maybe) negotiate some unenforceable reforms that ICE will abide by as much as they’ve abided by every other law they’re currently breaking,” the petition reads.

“Because of the incredible organizing of hundreds of thousands of Americans on the ground, and the ultimate sacrifice of heroes like Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, Democrats were finally in a position with real leverage,” the petition continues. “To abandon that fight now, as Schumer is doing, is downright complicity. Americans, Democrats, and Renee and Alex deserve so much better. Chuck Schumer must resign.”

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Jake Johnson

Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.

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By Henry Lee

Published  January 28, 2026

San Leandro

KTVU FOX 2

Massive student protest in San Leandro against ICE

Hundreds of students in San Leandro walked out to protest ICE. 

SAN LEANDRO – Students from several high schools across the East Bay walked out of class Wednesday morning to “forcefully express their opposition” to the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Hundreds gathered just before 10 a.m. near a Walmart at the intersection of Hesperian and Lewelling boulevards in San Leandro, which SkyFox captured overhead.

Schools involved included San Lorenzo High, East Bay Arts High School, Arroyo High and Royal Sunset High in San Leandro, as well as Mt. Eden High in Hayward, Berkeley High and Castro Valley High.

Students held signs and flags and chanted anti-ICE slogans. Drivers passing through the intersection honked in support.

“The people that protest here, we’re able to hear our voices louder,” said Lorenzo Yabes, a student at Castro Valley High. “We can’t do it by ourselves. We need people to protest like this to make our voices heard.”

Another student, Lynnaya Mathews of San Lorenzo High, said she joined the protest because she feels the authorities have too much power. 

“They are not God. They can’t be doing whatever they want,” she said. “I just feel like them being trigger-happy, like just using their military weapons and all their power, and for us, we’re all defenseless.”

The protest remained lawful, with the crowd not blocking traffic or impeding others in the area.

Students from several high schools across the East Bay walked out of class Wednesday morning to “forcefully express their opposition” to the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Jan. 28, 2026

January 29, 2026 (editor@dailycal.org)