The two curbs of the Overseas Highway told very different stories on the afternoon of Jan. 26. Staged in front of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility in Marathon, separate groups both supporting and condemning the work of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents “picked a side” during rush hour on U.S. 1.
Reinvigorated by the death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis, protesters against ICE compared agents to “Trump’s Gestapo,” demanding the agency “stop killing Americans.”
Supporters waved flags reading “Deport Them All – I Support Trump” or with central green lines through the U.S. flag – a well-recognized symbol of support for federal law enforcement.
The protest comes as immigration officers are reportedly preparing for a large-scale operation to deport Haitian migrants in the Keys, booking large blocks of hotel rooms ahead of the end of Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status on Feb. 3.
