THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Thomasville neighbors gathered downtown Tuesday and protested federal policies by holding signs, singing, marching, and chanting.
- Thomasville neighbors say ICE and recent federal immigration enforcement have created fear in their communities; the sheriff's office says there have been no incidents involving ICE in Thomas County.
- Demonstrators cite frustration with the Trump administration’s policies on affordability, wars, and detention centers.
- Watch the video below to hear from protesters about their concerns and future protests.
Thomasville residents protest ICE and federal policies downtown
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From signs to chants, protesters made one thing clear: they believe ICE makes their neighborhoods more fearful, not safer.
I'm Layan Abu Tarboush, your Thomasville neighborhood reporter, and I'm checking in with demonstrators about why they're pushing back against immigration enforcement in Thomas County.
The protest, organized by the Thomas County Democratic Party, is part of a growing pushback against the Trump administration from rising costs to recent wars and, most of all, ICE raids and detention centers.
The administration says these raids are meant to target undocumented immigrants with criminal records and improve public safety.
But organizers say many neighbors in Thomas County don't want ICE in their communities.
Some people online say they've been contacted by ICE, and in some cases, family members were taken.
But the sheriff tells ABC27 there haven't been any ICE incidents here and only in neighboring counties.
"They will be here. Why wouldn't they? You know, you're going to start somewhere, and then you're going to spread out. This is, this town has, you know, minorities all over it...my place of employment, we've seen impacts of people who are just afraid. They've gotten out of town here because they just don't want to be a part of it,” said Thomas County Democratic Party member Adam Chitwood.
Even though a federal mandate allows ICE to operate anywhere, including Thomas County, demonstrators say they want to make one thing clear: they don't welcome ICE here.
"It's very easy to feel helpless. It's very easy to just sit around and do nothing and say, 'Well, it's a federal mandate.' I don't believe this administration has a mandate to do anything, and I believe that I have a First Amendment right to get out here and use my voice, use my word, and be seen," said Chitwood.
From chanting to singing and walking through downtown, the demonstration was drawing attention.
Protesters told me they wanted to make a visible statement downtown without disrupting local businesses.
One protester who stood out was dressed in a frog costume.
"There were a bunch of people dressed in costumes out in, I think, Portland. And the ICE agents were there, and there was a line of protesters, you know, all dressed up in various things and a frog. And one of the ICE agents shoved the frog, and it instantly went viral. And here we are. It now means part of the resistance," said protester Lloyd Cline.
Chitwood says this won't be the last protest organized by the Thomas County Democratic Party.
To keep up with their events, check their Facebook page.
In Thomasville, I'm Layan Abu Tarboush, ABC27.
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