“No hate, no fear” Fairbanks protests ICE

By Aaron Thomas, Britany Adorno-Alicea and Jonathan Wasilewski

Photo by David McCain

A protester walks across the intersection of Geist and University with an upside down flag at the January 25 protest against ICE.

Cold weather be damned, Fairbanks residents took to the streets three times in the last few weeks to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, on Jan. 9 Jan. 20 and Jan 25.  Chants cut through the cold air, “No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here!” 

The protests were sparked by the deaths of Renee Good, fatally shot by an ICE agent earlier this month, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse killed Jan. 24 during an ICE operation in Minneapolis; the other was denouncing the one year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration. 

“We have a democracy that is slipping out of our fingers,” said Dionne Montgomery, a health care provider in Fairbanks who attended a protest. “Because if we're not teetering, we're already over the edge at this point.” Montgomery stressed the importance of exercising First Amendment rights and recognizing the precarious crossroads that the nation has found itself in.

Photo by David McCain

Protesters hold up signs reading “ICE murdering innocent citizens is not America 1st!!! Abolish ICE” and “Immigrants are not what I’m afraid of!” during the January 25 protest.

“There's so many issues, we can't put it all on a sign,” said Jackie DeBevick, a former resident of Minnesota who expressed she felt devastated about what is happening there.

ICE has drawn renewed scrutiny with protesters calling for accountability nationwide as demonstrators jumped back in action on Jan. 25 following the death of Pretti.

“He could have not made things violent.” said UAF student Charles Hardesty about the ICE agent that shot Good.

The first Fairbanks protest on Jan. 9 was organized by local high school senior Sarah Rozell. A vigil was created in honor of Good near the driveway leading to the Hutchinson parking lot where flowers and candles were left, accompanied by a sign that read “say her name Renee Nicole Good.”

Protesters expressed concern over national issues besides ICE too; the Trump Administration’s invasion of Venezuela, threats towards NATO allies about the desire to acquire the sovereign nation of Greenland, and the Epstein files. The “No-King” theme was also echoed. 

Derik Stone, an assistant professor in UAF’s justice department and a former FBI agent, wasn’t sure what was going through the ICE officers’ minds when asked about Good.

“We have to let due process work,” Stone said, referring to Good’s investigation. He said that citizens have the “freedom” to look at the video footage of the shooting, but we should also consider what the ICE officer has been through. 

Photo by David McCain

Protesters gather at the intersection of Geist and University on January 25.

Many in Trump’s Administration have referred to Good and Pretti as “domestic terrorists.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and many other Democrats have contested that labeling. So far the federal government has indicated that they will not be investigating either of their killings. 

Wade Hastings, a UAF student, said excessive presidential power was at the core of the problems with ICE.

“The president and his administration are immune from prosecution,” Hastings said. “We’ve got to start sending a barrage of emails and go to primary debates,” he noted. “ICE has too much power.”

The first protest drew about 100 people, the second had more than 200, and the most recent, Jan. 25 drew about 300 people despite the subzero temperatures.

During the Jan. 20 protest, one attendee carried a bag of gravel sprinkling it on the crosswalks to help prevent people from slipping on the icy roads. Another offered hot chocolate to fellow protesters. The protest elicited mixed but mostly positive responses from cars passing by the intersection, with drivers honking and cheering support, others praising ICE and booing the protest. Several cars spun their tires and rolled coal through the intersection in opposition to the event. 

Photo by Aaron Thomas

Crowds gather in front of the Noel Wien Library on January 20 to protest ICE.

The most recent protest, taking place Jan. 25 at the corners of University and Geist road, saw the community gather again in solidarity, grief and anger, once again demanding accountability following Pretti’s death.  One demonstrator, identifying herself as Erika said she was in attendance on behalf of Pack the Offices, an informal group that meets weekly at the federal building to visit the offices of Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski “to encourage them to work on behalf of the American people”

Addressing the nationwide protests, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Jan 25, “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.” The National Rifle Association has joined other gun lobby groups in calling for a “full investigation” of the incident.

“Seeing this many people out when it’s this cold, really shows how big this movement is and that people are scared. Seeing that ICE can kill a white woman, who is not an immigrant, but a citizen, is really terrifying,” said queer Iñupiaq activist David Leslie.