Thousands of Tucson-area residents took to the streets Saturday, from Sahuarita to the Catalina Foothills, as part of the latest nationwide No Kings protest against the Trump administration's exercise of executive power.

The dust was thick in the air, but by noon, Reid Park was filled with protesters picketing at street corners and gathering near the Georges DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center to hear from the event's speakers.

Attendees wore costumes and carried signs and piñatas, with people of all ages showing up in solidarity to oppose actions by the current administration.

The No Kings protest, an opposition movement formed by "50501" against unchecked executive power, has grown with each demonstration, breaking records as the largest single-day protest in United States history.

What began as a response to a Supreme Court ruling granting broad immunity to a sitting president has evolved into a broader showcase of grievances against both local and federal government. Protesters cited concerns ranging from immigration enforcement to the war in Iran.

Speakers included U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, Party for Socialism and Liberation organizer Arian Chavez, drag queen Lucinda Holliday and others.

Grijalva has been pushing back against the Trump administration since taking office, and on Saturday she focused on the human cost of immigration enforcement.

"There are babies who are nursing off their moms, being pulled away from the only safety they know," Grijalva said. "It begs the question: how many will remain behind bars, silenced by an uncaring system?"

Conover said the Pima County supervisors have "unleashed" her to go after the federal government, and she vowed to "drag them through the court" over abuses of power and infringement on the rights of everyday people.

"I think it's important to show that people care about what is going on with this administration," said writer Tim Vanderpool, who came to the event with a friend. "Some people say that these rallies don't have any effect, but I don't think that's true. I think the politicians watch them, especially if they're big."

Many attendees said they were there to protest executive overreach, while others directed their frustration at Rep. Juan Ciscomani and other politicians they accused of failing to check the Trump administration.

"We need Congress to do their job, to hold the White House in check," said Suzanne Vargaz, an environmental educator who has attended each of the previous protests.

Vargaz said no one should be subjected to war or aggressive immigration enforcement, and that such decisions should not rest with one person and a small group chosen for their loyalty.

Quentin Agnello is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist in Tucson. Contact him at qsagnello@gmail.com.

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