Outside the Baltimore field office where people are being detained in what advocates say are deplorable conditions, hundreds of protesters gathered today to demand that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations here and across the country be terminated.

“We all feel the urgency of this moment. ICE’s reign of terror on neighborhoods across the country has been more blatant than ever,” a speaker said, addressing the raucous crowd that filled the street outside of the George H. Fallon Federal Building at 31 Hopkins Plaza.

“We know that every day ICE is kidnapping our neighbors. Every day ICE is racially profiling our friends and family to justify their violence. Every day ICE holds people on the sixth floor of this very building,” he said, as the crowd chanted “Shame!” each time.

“This racist campaign of terror that ICE is waging on behalf of the billionaires is meant to scare immigrant communities,” he continued. “And anyone who dares show solidarity with them.”

Among the “ICE Out!” and “NO ICE Goons!” signs were poignant depictions of the two people in Minneapolis who were shot dead by federal agents: poet and mother Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti.

The participants recognized others who have been injured or killed by ICE around the country, including Tiago Sousa-Martins, a Portuguese immigrant who was shot by ICE agents in Glen Burnie on Christmas Eve.

“Baltimore was built on the backs of immigrant labor,” one protester reminded the crowd. “Migration is natural,” said another sign, which included an orange and black Baltimore Oriole.

Other groups made their feelings known with “Teachers against fascism,” “Vets say: no war in our cities” and “Nurses against cruelty.”

One woman held a sign that simply said, “Love,” while another cited Matthew 25:35, quoting Jesus: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Many more, however, went another direction. Signs like “Abolish ICE,” “Fuck ICE” and “ICE is better when crushed” dominated on this day.

A giant rat set up at the front of the crowd set the tone for the action, which was organized by a coalition that includes the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Indivisible Baltimore, Free State Coalition, Greater Baltimore DSA.

On a frigid day with temperatures in the teens and piled-up snow still clogging downtown, the protesters took to the streets. Walking along Lombard Street and then up Charles Street,  they chanted “ICE out of Baltimore!”

Inhumane Conditions

Immigration advocates have been raising concerns about Baltimore’s ICE field office for months. (No officials were evident at the building today. A Baltimore Police helicopter circled at one point overhead.)

Last May, advocates filed a lawsuit alleging inhumane conditions there and at other ICE facilities across the country.

“The Baltimore holding cells, which lack beds and showers, were designed for stays of no longer than 12 hours, although a waiver issued by ICE last year extended that limit to 72 hours,” according to The Washington Post.

“Lawyers and advocates also say the Maryland site lacks hygiene products, medical care and often adequate food for detainees who have been held for days beyond that limit,” the Post said.

A viral video this week shows about three dozen men huddled on the floor in ICE’s Baltimore field office under metallic blankets.

A viral video that began circulating earlier this week shows detainees crowded in a holding room on the sixth floor of the ICE facility, about three dozen men huddled on the floor under metallic blankets.

Appearing to acknowledge the veracity of the footage, Homeland Security has said the recent snowstorm made it difficult to move detainees to bigger facilities.

ICE Processing Facility?

Adding to the urgency of their message, protest organizers said, is news that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has purchased a 825,000-square-foot warehouse near Hagerstown that it is considering for an immigration detention facility.

Despite street protests in the western Maryland city, local officials have said they cannot stop the agency from converting the building and 53-acre property for that use.

“The legal reality when property is owned by the federal government is clear,” county officials said in a statement posted to their Facebook page on Wednesday. “Washington County is not able to legally restrict the federal government’s ability to proceed.”

A letter they received earlier this month describes DHS  plans for the possible “new ICE Baltimore Processing Facility.”

“Construction of holding and processing spaces, office space, public-facing visitor space and installation of amenities, such as cafeterias, bathrooms, and health care spaces,” the county said, quoting from the DHS letter.

“Proposed site improvements mentioned include, but are not limited to, ‘installing, upgrading, or rehabilitating existing parking areas, fencing, site lighting, landscaping, drainage/stormwater, recreation areas and cameras. Tentage and guard shacks may also be installed.’”

“Hungry to get out and yell”

After seeing federal agents’ violent actions in Minneapolis toward citizen observers and protesters, some at today’s action said they had been a bit hesitant to come alone.

That’s why Federal Hill’s Jojo Cheng invited the friends in her running club to come with her.

“It’s like I don’t want to go to a protest by myself, but there’s safety in numbers,” Cheng said.

Sera Havrilla, one of the runner friends, said she wanted to participate because she feels for the people from immigrant communities who live near her Brewers Hill neighborhood who have been targeted by ICE agents.

As for the shooting of Good and Pretti, Havrilla said that federal officials’ insistence that they were “agitators” and “insurrectionists” who caused agents to fear for their lives just doesn’t wash.

“Anyone with eyes can see that that’s not what happened,” she said.

“It’s one thing to just sit at home and read all this news and be upset, but it’s another to actually take action”  – A Protester.

Asked if there was anything in particular that brought them out in such bitter cold weather, another member of the group said, “Everything that’s happened in the entire last year, to be honest.”

“I think people are hungry for a reason to get out and yell and take all of their feelings and frustrations that have been on the inside and let them out,” she said.

“Because it’s one thing to just sit at home and read all this news and be upset, but it’s another to actually take action and use your energy for good.”