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Community members marched in Kenner, Louisiana against Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 10, 2025. Protestors were calling for justice for Renée Nicole Good who was killed in Minneapolis earlier this month.

Dozens of protestors gathered in Kenner, Louisiana as a response to the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the community, the collaboration between ICE and the Kenner Police Department, and the fatal shooting of a woman in Minnesota by an federal immigration enforcement officer.

The protest was originally planned to bring attention to ICE’s role in Kenner, but developed into a protest focused on holding ICE accountable for the recent string of violence against civilians. One of the most recent crimes being the death of Renée Nicole Good on Jan. 7. 

Protestors gathered near the North Kenner Recreational Park featuring speakers from several local social justice organizations which orchestrated the protest. Some of these organizations included the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and Liberate and Unite New Orleans Students for a Democratic Society. 

The protest started with speakers rallying the crowd, varying from organization leaders to residents of Kenner who have felt the impact of ICE’s presence within their community. Stories of ICE were shouted over speakers and were accompanied by chants from the crowd. 

The shared view of outrage in regards to ICE’s violence and presence within communities was voiced by the chair of The Alliance, Toni Jones. 

“We’re here today because we want justice for Renée Good. We also want to end deportations. We want legalization for all people in the United States regardless of their status, and we want Kenner to end the 287 G agreement because we don’t believe that the police should be working to separate

families, and we don’t believe that they need to be given a license to behave like ICE,” Jones said.

According to the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement website the 287 G agreement is now,  “… authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under ICE’s direction and oversight.” 

 This agreement is active across multiple Louisiana police departments, with Kenner being the main focus due to the highly targeted Hispanic population. 

The chants were heard throughout Martinique Avenue as the protestors began their march from the park to Williams Boulevard. Their march ended at the Burlington Coat Factory on Williams Boulevard, which has been a hot spot for ICE considering the high Hispanic population within this area. 

Protestors carried flags to represent the targeted hispanic communi

ties as well as signs which often shared the same sentiment of an anti-ICE message. The signs and chants were met by support from the community as drivers passed by continuously honking their horns and raising their fists out of car windows along the busy street. 

A Loyola graduate and Kenner native, Nadir Benslimane, spoke on his reason for coming to the protest. 

“I actually live around the neighborhood, and I know what ICE is doing is definitely wrong. They’re locking up legal immigrants, they’re separating families, they’re killing innocent people. I’m just here at this protest to make my voice known,” Benslimane said. 

In an effort to bring awareness to ICE and their injustices, protestors and organizations came together to show solidarity for the matter and will continue to do so as LUNOSDS is having multiple protests throughout their upcoming national SDS week, in cooperation with other social justice organizations. 

“We are going out into every community that shares our fight and we’re trying to get them organized because an injury to one is an injury to all, solidarity is a big theme and our work,” Jones said.