People in six counties around the Bay Area and Watsonville came out July 3 to voice their disapproval of a federal plan to build immigration detention facilities in Gilroy and Dublin.
A crowd of around 20 people lined the Harkins Slough Road overcrossing to Highway 1, in Santa Cruz County, for 90 minutes of sign waving for passing motorists, including large letters, ICE OUT OF GILROY.
“We are out here today because there are two ICE facilities now under construction or almost in operation in northern California,” said Olivia Millard, co-founder of Indivisible Pajaro Valley as she waved a large American flag from the Harkins Slough Bridge above Highway 1. “There haven’t been ICE facilities in northern California yet, and when they have facilities nearby it will mean that they’ll start to fill those facilities.
“So we are anticipating that it will mean more ICE action in this part of California, which is terrifying to all of us.”
The proposed site in Gilroy, 7240 Holsclaw Road, according to public records, shows the federal General Services Administration awarded a $26.5 million contract in 2025 to a Beverly Hills-based real estate firm connected to other ICE detention centers.
Sam Earnshaw of Aromas said, “I’m here because I feel we have to keep up our resistance to fascism that is going on in this country now. And coming out to protests like this is one of the many things we can do.”
Millard added that the protest Friday was running simultaneously across 30 bridges in six counties.
“ICE is so inhumane,” she said. “They are gulags, they are prison camps, they are ignoring due process. People disappear into the ICE system—they’re often not seen again or shipped off to some country in Africa.
She noted that “we’ve been relatively fortunate” in the Pajaro Valley thus far.
“What has been happening in Minnesota might start happening here,” Millard said. “That would be horrifying, so we are doing everything that we can to bring attention to this.”
Cry harder.
Mike is a perfect example of absent minded Americans and their hate towards our democracy.
Looks like you are the one crying harder because Americans are using their god given rights.
Whether someone supports or opposes current immigration policy, federal immigration laws are still being enforced. A purpose-built facility may be safer, more accountable, and better regulated than relying on ad hoc detention arrangements.
Hypocrites, protesting NICE while waving American flags. People wait years to be vetted yet the illegals cut to the front of the line.
Poor naïve Mark, there’s a process for people to come here legally. You’re the one who hates democracy.
Poor naive Ansel, your biased blinds block you from realizing that same process is ignored by your own party. Unless you’re for the dismantling of democracy?
Even diehard Republican Reagan accepted immigrants.
Which party fought for birthright citizenship?
Which party passed the IRCA?
You clearly don’t know US History.
Damn Ansel and Loyal, you clearly didn’t pay attention to US History in elementary, middle, high school, nor college huh.
What is the first amendment?
Who are the Bill of Rights for?
Those same people who have waited for years are also being cut off for the most asinine reasons.
If you researched you’d know, clearly you don’t.
Poor Mark. Triggered much?
Triggered much, Mark? Odd how you didn’t mention Biden’s open border with Kakler as the czar (how many million is that?), it would be funny if not beyond criminal. Using straw man and slippery slope fallacies of argument belie your ignorance. Keeping crying TDS tears, facts escape you.
Perry, you didn’t do well in math nor history huh.
Compare the Biden deportations vs the current ones.
You guys hate Obama and Biden even though he deported more than your orange GEOTUS.
Do you even understand the logical fallacies your mentioning or did you just take philosophy 101? You sound like those people who try to use a new word they learned.
Compare previous deportations with current ones, then get back to me.
Poor Felix, has no comment nor argument
The only triggered ones are you trumpers
There’s like 6 of you on here and none of you have answered nor retorted my points.
You guys are horrible at arguing and just throw little TDS comments lmfao 🤣
Whenever a trumper brings up TDS, that means they have no argument and fall back on name calling, the most elementary reasoning
Slow day on Bluesky for Mark, poor fella.
And now comes the news that neither Gilroy nor Morgan Hill will join in the state’s lawsuit against the US.
The law will be enforced. Americans will be protected. Cry harder!
Just like the birthright citizenship news.
The law will be enforced, immigrants will be protected. Cry harder!
And now comes the news that birthright citizenship remains for all the states.
The law will be enforced, immigrants will be protected. Cry harder!
Republicans control all 3 branches of government, Supreme Court has like 3 justices picked by the orange pedo, and you still can’t pass legislation
Y’all are a joke 🤣