Pittsburgh Protesters Rally Against ICE Actions at Home Depot

Pittsburgh Rally Targets ICE Actions at Home Depot Amid National Weekend of Protest

Pittsburgh, PA — Approximately 100 protesters gathered in East Liberty on Sunday for a rally and march aimed at halting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities at Home Depot stores. This demonstration was part of a broader national weekend of action, highlighting concerns over ICE’s recent operations targeting day laborers and immigrant workers at retail locations across the country.

The “ICE Out of Home Depot” event, organized by a coalition of local advocacy groups, began at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and Station Street. Demonstrators expressed their outrage over businesses allegedly allowing ICE to detain community members. “It’s absolutely despicable that businesses like Home Depot will allow ICE to take our neighbors and co-workers,” said Hannah Fitzgerald, one of the event’s organizers.

While organizers noted that they were unaware of any specific ICE actions at the East Liberty Home Depot, they chose the location for its centrality in the region. Home Depot has consistently denied any collaboration with ICE, stating, “We aren’t notified that immigration enforcement activities are going to happen, and we aren’t involved in the operations.”

The rally was part of the national Disappeared in America campaign, which coordinated similar protests in various U.S. cities over the weekend. As the march progressed, passing motorists frequently honked in support, creating an atmosphere of solidarity among participants.

Protesters aimed to present a list of demands to the store’s manager, including a call for Home Depot to publicly condemn ICE raids, close its properties to ICE agents, and protect customers and workers from immigration enforcement actions. However, their attempt to enter the store was blocked by two armed state constables, leading to chants of “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” before the group dispersed when Pittsburgh police arrived. No arrests were made during the demonstration.

The rally coincided with alarming news from the Department of Homeland Security, which announced it is on track to deport a record 600,000 individuals by the end of January. Speakers at the event included Guillermo Perez, secretary-treasurer of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, who highlighted the tragic story of Carlos Roberto Montoya, a Guatemalan immigrant who died while fleeing an ICE raid at a Home Depot in California.

“Home Depot is in a strong position to make a statement about the value of immigrant workers,” Perez asserted. “We’re here today to say, ‘Ya basta!’ No more, Home Depot. Stop allowing ICE to operate in your stores and your parking lots.”

The protest was supported by various organizations, including the Pittsburgh Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Casa San Jose, and Never Again Action, which advocates against the persecution and deportation of immigrants in the U.S.

As the rally concluded, the message was clear: community members are united in their demand for justice and protection for immigrant workers, urging businesses to take a stand against ICE’s actions.