NATIONAL CITY (Omar Martínez/Border Zoom) – A demonstration in support of the migrant community ended with the use of tear gas in National City. The event, held under the slogan “Don’t Bite the Hands That Feed You,” gathered citizens at 1021 Highland Ave. at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, January 31.
According to Henry, one of the participants, the protest remained peaceful with no acts of violence or vandalism. “Yes, some people stood in front of a patrol car, but that didn’t justify such an excessive reaction,” he said.
Eyewitness accounts confirmed that tear gas was deployed in the middle of the gathering. “It exploded among the crowd—it was wrong. No one was causing destruction or attacking anyone,” Henry added.
During the protest, participants waved Mexican flags and voiced concerns over deportations and their impact on the migrant community.
Henry also highlighted the growing fear among workers due to immigration raids. “Many of my coworkers don’t even want to leave their homes anymore because of this situation,” he stated.
Reports have surfaced of immigration enforcement activity in various commercial areas in recent days.
“I heard that a few days ago, ICE conducted a raid at Plaza Bonita, then at the mall, and two days later at multiple Walmarts,” he added.
Protesters emphasized that the demonstration sought to shed light on the rights and contributions of the migrant community in response to recent immigration policies implemented following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20.