Within four months into 2026 and protests from a year prior against ICE have only increased. What sparked the amplification of these protests were the brutality of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) against immigrants and protesters. Videos shared online depict ICE agents assaulting peaceful protesters have gone viral, sparking heated discussions online on how ICE agents are behaving and whether or not they should be allowed to wear face coverage during raids and stops.
According to a report made by KFF, an independent health organization, as of March 18, ICE reported that 46 people have died while in their custody or detention facilities since the start of the second Trump administration in January 2025. To put this in perspective, total deaths caused by ICE in 2023-2024 were 18 for both years combined. According to the same KFF report, In the years 2025-2026 the amount of deaths caused by ICE agents compared in years prior have nearly tripled, with a staggering estimate of over 50 deaths, with a confirmed 46 deaths total. In 2025 alone deaths skyrocketed to 33 deaths total. The deaths in early 2026 are attributed to factors including inadequate medical care, overcrowding, and potentially dangerous conditions within facilities as detention numbers surpass maximum capacity. All this paired with the killing of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, both of whom were U.S. born peaceful protestors, has prompted protests across the country and ignited calls for accountability.
These calls for accountability have gone unanswered, sparking protests, riots and discourse from students and community members alike. This discourse has led to calls for activism within communities, which were later answered on February 6th, when groups of middle and high school students utilized their First Amendment right and walked out of schools in protest of these ICE raids. The walk outs began early that morning on Friday February 6th, with thousands of students in the San Fernando valley leaving their campus as an act of protest. These walks out happened nationwide, with additional walkouts occurring in North Hollywood and Van Nuys, with students gathering near Van Nuys City Hall, and another group of students gathered in downtown Los Angeles. Many of the students carried signs denouncing actions of ICE agents, who have been carrying out stepped-up operations in the Los Angeles area since last summer.
Yet these extreme demonstrations are not the only form of retaliation in response to these ongoing circumstances. Community members and activists have made it a point to no longer purchase products from brands that have openly funded ICE. These boycotts don’t end at just brands and companies, with many activists going as far as no longer supporting actors and musicians that have not spoken out or have openly supported ICE. These activists encourage others to do the same in hopes to pressure these brands and celebrities to no longer support ICE. This form of boycott is being nicknamed The “Resist and Unsubscribe” boycott, organized by Scott Galloway. Websites such as the official Resist and Unsubscribe webpage have been made to let its users know what companies have donated funds to ICE and alternative brands to shop from instead. Protests and boycotts of companies supporting Trump and ICE are likely to continue over the coming months. The administration has taken steps to pull agents from Minneapolis, but operations and deportations continue across the country.
