Healthcare workers rally with educators at Broadway and Pine in march against ICE in Seattle

With reporting by Brenna Gauchat and Alex Garland

Healthcare workers rallied outside of Harborview Medical Center to demonstrate solidarity for Minneapolis before joining educators at Broadway and Pine for a 1,000-strong march through Seattle Saturday afternoon.

This demonstration was part of nationwide protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics following the violence in Minneapolis to call for ICE to leave American cities and to honor Alex Pretti, the intensive care nurse who was shot and killed by federal immigration officers just a week before

Christy, one of the many registered nurses gathered at the protest, said Pretti’s death personally affected her and her co-workers.

“We wanted to do something about it, and we felt like this was the way to start,” she said.

Speakers at the rally said they were proud to push back on the violence as care workers.

MacDonald

“We can’t stand for this. We have to stand up against this darkness that descends on our country. We can’t let bullies and thugs define what patriotism is. We serve our country too,” Lucas MacDonald, an ARNP with Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Services, said.

“We put on masks to protect our patients, not to terrorize neighbors. We put on masks to protect our families, not to murder people in the streets. It is time for us to stand up to ice in this bully regime that it kills for. But we must stand in unity. We have to push back against these dark forces with light and love.”

While speakers from Harborview and its associated unions kicked off the event, the growing number of attendees were advised to stay on the corner’s sidewalk to keep the hospital’s entrances clear and avoid unintentionally blocking traffic before the march began, which already planned to close sections of Jefferson and Broadway. Protesters shifted to make room while drivers passed by, many rolling down their windows and honking in support.

The crowd gathered on the northeast corner of 9th Ave and Jefferson around noon before marching across Capitol Hill to meet the educators’ rally held at Seattle Central College where hundreds eventually filled Broadway at Pine. Chants like, “No justice, no peace. No ICE in our streets.” or simply, “ICE out”, were repeated for nearly a mile until reaching the college’s Broadway plaza an hour later.

Nurses like Jessica Seals — who carried a cardboard sign listing the victims killed by ICE this year, “Nurses say not one more” underlined at the bottom — have yet to encounter ICE while working. After hearing stories from other hospitals regarding heavy interference and disruption, Seals said fellow staff members are concerned about how the release of any patient information without patient consent could put someone at risk of detainment or deportation.

In response to the looming threat of ICE involvement, Seals said staff have been preparing ways to respond in the face of coercion and are being encouraged by the hospital’s administration to “stand their ground” when protecting patient areas and paperwork.

Shelly Julien said it feels like “bracing for impact”.

Ellen Drummond and Julien, both nurses, came out together after seeing details about the march circulate on social media.

“It’s great seeing so many people come out and hopefully there’s people out all over the country today standing up against this,” Drummond said. “Because I don’t think change is going to happen until the people really do something about it. The people, as in us.”

“Part of me also wants to do more than just come out,” Drummond said. “But I think it’s a good first step.”

Last week, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced new directives to counter a federal immigration crackdown here including directing the Seattle Police Department to “investigate, verify, and document” any reported ICE activity in the city.

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