{"id":46268,"date":"2026-01-24T12:32:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T20:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=46268"},"modified":"2026-01-24T12:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T20:32:13","slug":"s-f-faith-leaders-rally-against-ice-announcing-24-hour-hunger-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/01\/24\/s-f-faith-leaders-rally-against-ice-announcing-24-hour-hunger-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"S.F. faith leaders rally against ICE, announcing 24-hour hunger strike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last year, at least 32 people died in ICE custody, a two-decade high that faith leaders condemned<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A by\u00a0Clara-Sophia Daly <\/a><\/strong>January 22, 2026 (MissionLocal.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Unitarian Universalist Reverend Tom McAninley holds his hands in prayer during a rally where faith leaders participated in a silent meditation, marking the start of a 24 hour hunger strike in protest of ICE presence in Minneapolis on Jan. 22, 2026. Photo by Mariana Garcia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The usual hustle and bustle of protests \u2014 the loud chants, megaphones and fists in the air \u2014 was absent on Thursday afternoon as faith leaders and activists sat in meditation outside San Francisco City Hall, starting a hunger strike to protest ICE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 100 rabbis, reverends and activists gathered on the City Hall steps to start a  24-hour fast to condemn what they called Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s militaristic and violent policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the faith leaders were barefoot, sitting cross-legged on yoga mats on the cement steps; others wore stoles painted with butterflies, a symbol of migration. Still more walked in slow circles, wearing posters around their necks displaying photos of immigrants who have died in ICE custody. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mission<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"
Bruce Reyes-Chow, a minister in the presbyterian church, delivers a speech against ICE action in Minneapolis at a gathering of faith leaders at City Hall on Thursday. Photo by Mariana Garcia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At least four people have died in ICE custody so far this year, according to the Detention Watch Network<\/a>, and 32 people died in the agency\u2019s detention centers and holding cells last year, which the Guardian<\/em> said was the highest<\/a> total in two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democrats in Congress on Thursday sent a letter<\/a> to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding<\/a> she improve conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been no ICE custody deaths in San Francisco, but the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights groups sued ICE<\/a> last year, alleging its holding cells downtown were \u201cfreezing\u201d and \u201cinhumane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Back<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A federal judge ruled that the conditions were likely unconstitutional, and ordered ICE to improve them<\/a>, but attorneys said<\/a> at the end of December that the agency had not done so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Faith leaders participate in a silent meditation at City Hall on Thursday. The event marked the start of a 24 hour hunger strike to protest ICE presence in Minneapolis. Photo by Mariana Garcia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thursday\u2019s protest was organized by the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and organizers said it was intended to \u201cresist the violence inflicted on our own neighbors, friends, and families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a crowd largely composed of older adults, a young girl wearing a pink jacket and riding a pink tricycle with streamers stood out as she rode her bike amid a somber march of faith leaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"1-1-26<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Omar, a construction worker from Mexico who wore a yellow vest, said he happened upon the meditation during a break from his work, across the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am grateful for it all,\u201d he said in Spanish before returning to his job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
San Francisco resident Phillip Jeffries participates in a silent meditation alongside Bay Area faith leaders at City Hall in protest of ICE presence in Minneapolis. Photo by Mariana Garcia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Near 1 p.m., the sun began to shine through the clouds, and the megaphones emerged. What had begun as a silent meditation and walk turned into a rally, with faith leaders speaking to a crowd of about 100 people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Valencia<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to acknowledge that there are a lot of things that happen in our city that are unseen,\u201d Reverend Bruce Reyes-Chow from the Presbyterian Church said \u201cIt\u2019s telling the rest of the world that we are still paying attention.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another faith leader participating in the hunger strike is Reverend Ranwa Hammamy, an organizer with the Unitarian Universalist Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want ICE out of Minnesota and ICE out of our communities. We want ICE to no longer be funded,\u201d Hammamy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked whether elected officials had been notified of the protest, she said that they have had conversations at the state and federal level around changing immigration policy to be less \u201cinhumane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope that it gets attention, and that more people will join us\u201d in the fight, said Julie Litwin, a member of the Kehilla Community Synagogue who lives in the East Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Ry Crawford, a volunteer with the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, holds a sign reading \u201cNo war, no ICE\u201d at a rally against ICE presence in Minneapolis at City Hall on Thursday. Photo by Mariana Garcia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Because of you, Mission Local reached and surpassed our $300,000 year-end fundraising goal. All we can say is thank you. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Latest on Immigration enforcement<\/mark><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Photos:<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Photos: Hundreds in S.F. protest on anniversary of Trump\u2019s inauguration<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Anti-ICE<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anti-ICE rally in S.F. turns violent: 2 detained, 2 pepper sprayed<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"People<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

People We Meet: The art professor at S.F.\u2019s immigration court<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Clara-Sophia Daly<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

clarasophia@missionlocal.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last year, at least 32 people died in ICE custody, a two-decade high that faith leaders condemned by\u00a0Clara-Sophia Daly January 22, 2026 (MissionLocal.org) The usual hustle and bustle of protests \u2014 the loud chants, megaphones and fists in the air \u2014 was absent on Thursday afternoon as faith leaders and… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46268"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46268"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46269,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46268\/revisions\/46269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}