Thousands of Tucson residents filled downtown streets Friday afternoon in a citywide show of solidarity with a national shutdown protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol violence, part of a broader call for an end to business as usual.

The National Shutdown called on community members across the country to refrain from work, school and shopping, urging a widespread pause in daily activity.

Dozens of local shops, cafes and restaurants closed early or for the day to support the cause, including Arizona Poppy Shop, Bubbe’s Bagels, Chappopin Cafe, Desert Drifter Coffee, Jojo’s Restaurant, Mildred and Dildred, Noodies, Presta Coffee, Rocco’s Little Chicago, Tucson Thrift Shop and more.

Before the official downtown protest, community members gathered at De Anza Park and at the University of Arizona before marching to the Federal Building on West Congress Street to meet other protesters.

Educators in attendance reflected on how the moment is resonating beyond the protest itself, especially with the students they teach every day.

“Our students are aware of what’s going on even in third grade and they are scared. It’s really sad that we have those kids that are that scared, but I’m really happy with how many people are here,” said Mackenzie Braun, a third grade teacher with Tucson Unified School District. “But we talk about Martin Luther King Jr. a lot in school and so they naturally understand that it’s happened before with the civil rights movement and they see the connections between that and what’s happening now."

Nydia Ybarra, a secretary at Tucson High School, is one of many TUSD staffers asking the district to make a plan for ICE and school resource officers.

“We saw our attendance decrease because of ICE,” she said. “Our staff has come up with the plan. (District) administration is not included, but we need to come up with something in the district.”

She said staff members are willing to work with TUSD officials to develop a districtwide plan.

After reaching the federal building, protesters heard from speakers who talked about the anxiety and fear ICE’s presence has caused within communities, neglect by the current administration and what they described as fearmongering of immigrants.

Many speakers also acknowledged support for those who walked out of school and work, refrained from shopping, and for small business owners who closed their stores.

“All of the people here are here for the same reason, serving the same heart, same burden, same pain,” said Yolia Botanica owner Guadalupe “Lupita” Tineo. “We are not here to hurt each other, we’re not here to continue to witness the pain of the world. We’re here to create change.”

Yolia Botanica specializes in Mexican traditions of spiritual healing. Tineo performed limpias, spiritual cleansing rituals, while Indigenous dancers performed to encourage positive energy.

“Watching our neighbors get kidnapped is not normal,” she said. “This is not weakness. You are not weak for caring, you are not weak for feeling; that is your humanity responding to injustice.”

The protest also drew students and staff from the University of Arizona and several nearby TUSD schools.

“It’s important to be here and show up to support freedom and democracy which is being torn apart by this administration,” said a protester who asked to remain anonymous.

The sense of urgency echoed across generations, particularly among younger attendees who connected the moment to their families’ immigration experiences.

One young protester said that when her parents came to the U.S., the administration made citizenship more accessible, something she says is now “almost impossible,” which is why showing up felt so important to her.

“I think it’s important that we’re out here today to be with each other and remind each other of the humanity we lost along the way. I’m a proud Mexican and a proud Salvadoran,” she said. “The only reason why I’m here today is because immigration was possible. Immigration is important. It’s the reason why America is great.”

After the speeches, protesters marched through downtown and onto North Fourth Avenue, filling the route with the sounds of drums, cowbells and tambourines.

For many participants, the march was also a way to show up for one another and affirm shared cultural values.

“The more people, the better. If I can go out of my way to help, even if it’s just one extra body in the space, that’s what I’m here to do,” said Chloe Dodson. “A lot of our paths definitely do cross on where our cultural exchanges are. Dance is just a way to unite all of us and a way to show everyone that our cultures do matter. We came here because everybody wants to have a better life and everybody deserves to have a better life.”

Others echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how art and movement create connection and resilience in moments of collective action.

“I think that dance and art and culture and music saves lives and it’s exactly what we need today,” said Gabriel Frazier. “To be able to dance with my friends and the people I hold closest, I find that to be the most powerful thing in the world.”The crowd circled back to the federal building, where speakers delivered closing remarks, reminding protesters the fight does not end with the event and encouraging them not to stay silent.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, Arizona clergy, interfaith leaders and community members held a vigil for Alex Jeffrey Pretti, who was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis.

“You don’t get to quote scripture like a lullaby while injustice stays wide awake,” Presbyterian pastor Bart Smith told the crowd.

Held outside ICE’s Tucson Field Office, speakers at the vigil called for neutrality in discussions about ICE, spoke out against immigration policies, and encouraged attendees to process grief through prayer.

“We create a space for people to really look into their heart to grieve, what feels like a moral affront when they witness what has been happening and to gain strength from each other,” said the Rev. Lisa Graumlich, a deacon with the Episcopal Church.

Graumlich said she hoped the vigil would signal to those in power that the militarization of immigration enforcement is unacceptable, as is violating people’s rights.

“We need to respect constitutional rights. The Fourth Amendment limits illegal and inappropriate search and seizure,” she said. “And we need immigration policies that are humane and keep families together.”

She said these are areas where she believes everyone can agree.

“We defend the constitution. We keep families together. We end violence,” she said. “There are lots of ways in the policy fine points we might disagree, but those fundamental demands stand.”

U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva attended the rally, offering visible support as speakers and protesters called for humane immigration policies and an end to ICE violence.

Tiffany Kwan and Jessica Taylor, students at the ASU School of Social Work in Tucson, said they were overwhelmed by their emotions during the event.

“It made me emotional, but also a lot of hope. I’m not only crying from my fear, I’m crying because seeing the community gather, having a congresswoman here to support the community, it’s giving me a new sense of hope with everything that’s going on,” Kwan said.

Taylor echoed those sentiments.

“The times right now are really scary, it’s hard to see the positive light in things, especially with how fast things are changing,” she said. “It’s definitely a sense of reassurance seeing the community all come here today and seeing everyone show their love and support for the community and that we’re here for one another.”

Tanya Nuñez, an organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s Tucson branch, attended the vigil to discuss next steps with attendees.

“It feels like more and more people are joining this movement in defense of our immigrant communities and are seeing that what ICE is doing is horrific and unjust,” she said. “It’s really nice to see people just in unity right now and expressing solidarity with the victims of ICE terror.”

Marlon Bedoy is a Pima Community College student and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact him at marl.star.nn@gmail.com.

Emma Diaz is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist based in Tucson.

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