Hundreds protest against immigration policies, demand workforce reform in Oklahoma City

Yahoo

05-05-2025

Hundreds of protestors gathered in downtown Oklahoma City's Scissortail Park on May 4, demanding immigration and workforce reform through an event called "Marcha hasta que nos escuchen", Spanish for "March until they hear us."
The event was one of many May Day 2025 protests across the country held over the past week against the Trump administration and its policies.
More than 1,000 demonstrations and rallies were scheduled in every state — most of them on May 1, historically known as May Day or International Workers' Day.
"Show me what democracy looks like," an Oklahoma City protest organizer shouted in a megaphone.
"This is what democracy looks like," protestors chanted back.
National protest organizers told USA Today the events were centered on opposition to President Donald Trump and his supporters, like Elon Musk, who has led the Department of Government Efficiency's slashing of the federal workforce. According to USA Today, organizers said Trump, Musk and their supporters were attempting to "erase labor rights, break our unions, and silence immigrant voices."
Protesters in Oklahoma City marched over the bridge from the southernmost part of Scissortail Park to the stage on "the northside", which represented a "symbolic march that represents many of our journeys," according to an Instagram invitation for the event.
Led by Immigrant Connexión Empowerment, Community Response Network and League of United Latin American Citizens' Oklahoma chapter, several organizations came together to make the event possible.
"Initially, the reason we decided to create this protest ... is because we saw a lot of movements across the country that focused on immigrant rights, and what is happening right now with the immigrant community is very cruel," said Nicole Maldonado, president of LULAC's Oklahoma City chapter. "It's very dehumanizing."
Maldonado said over 400 people signed up for the protest and she hoped the event would make the community stronger.
"People have to come together and be disruptive in a peaceful way. You can make changes," she said.
Protestors marched with anti-Trump signs reading, "Pro-America, Anti-Trump" and "This all ends when enough of us say no."
Cynthia Hernandez, a 34-year-old mother who attended the protest with her two children and her husband, said she wanted to support the her community.
"I'm an immigrant. I'm a DACA (recipient)," she said. "I'm a mixed family ... a mix of citizens and a mix of Dreamers."
Hernandez said the immigration crackdowns felt like abuse.
"It's just like being in an abusive relationship, but a mentally abusive relationship where you're working, you're following the law, you're doing everything you can to be a member of society, and then, you just hear all this negativity," she said.
She hoped that the protest, and other similar events, would inspire others in the future.
Cyndy Hosler, 67, a Canadian citizen with a U.S. green card, and Phyllis Gordon, 75, each held the end of a Canadian flag and marched with it throughout the protest. They both expressed frustration over immigration policies.
"I just want to protest, period," said Gordon.
The 2-hour rally started at 1:00 p.m. and ended with keynote speakers, such as Sen. Michael Brooks (D-Oklahoma City), Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval (D-Oklahoma City), and House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson (D-Oklahoma City).
American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma Executive Director Tamya Cox-Touré, LULAC member and vice president of the Hispanic Student Association Lesly Fraire, and Community Response Network member Bre Almaguer, and Destiny Villalobos, Immigrant Connexión Empowerment Youth Empowerment Initiative Leader, also presented on stage.
Some speakers focused on issues under attack other than immigration, such as women's health and workers' rights, including Women's March Executive Director Rachel O'Leary Carmona. Others spoke about workers' rights, such as Starbucks Workers United Oklahoma City member Collin Pollitt, who spoke about the union's fight against corporate leadership, and President of Central Oklahoma Labor Federation Tim O'Conner, who spoke on labor.
"Everybody knows the situation that we're in," O'Conner said. "Everybody's under attack. Unions are under attack. Seniors are under attack. Immigrants are under attack. Union members are under attack. We're all under attack, and it can feel overwhelming... But I'd like to leave you with this message: There will be days when things feel stacked against you, when the road looks too long, the weight too heavy, and the progress too slow. But hear me now, this is not the end of our story. Every great victory was once impossible. Every strong soul was once broken, but they kept going."
Contributing: USA Today Network reporters Christopher Cann, Karissa Waddick
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC protestors march against Trump, Musk in May Day march