By Justin Doud and Areebah Bharmal

Two separate demonstrations at the Texas Capitol Saturday drew hundreds protesting mass deportations. 

The first demonstration at 10 a.m. was organized by Texas Betas, a Latino-based fraternity at UT, and saw over 150 students gather at Littlefield Fountain on-campus before marching to the Capitol. The second protest, organized by the Austin chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, began at the Capitol and involved an unplanned march of around a hundred through downtown.

Both political and non political organizations helped plan the 10 a.m. protest, said Joban Hernandez, a Texas Betas member who organized the demonstration. This included other Greek organizations as well as University Democrats and the Palestine Solidarity Committee.

“The goal today is obviously to make a voice for people that can’t (use their own) and also to demand that ICE raids stop coming to campuses,” Hernandez said. “It’s not fair for families to be broken apart. We do so much for this country. … It’s cruel.”

Raids by federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement have increased in recent weeks following the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The Washington Post reported minimum quotas have been set for the number of arrests ICE field offices must make per day, and TSTV News reported on arrests in Austin that began a week after the inauguration.

At the Capitol, protestors listened to speeches in both Spanish and English and chanted in both languages as well. Some speakers touched on their own personal experiences, including a student who spoke of a traffic stop by police where her immigration status was questioned despite her status as a U.S. citizen.

Carolina, a UT law student who asked to be identified only by her first name, said she came out after a request for support by organizers was sent to her Latino law organization on campus. 

“I felt like it’s my duty, if I have the privilege to be here, to be an American citizen, to have come from a background of immigrants, to come out and show my support and show my people that I can be their voice,” she said.

Carolina said she prioritizes education at events like Saturday’s protest.

“A lot of people don’t know their rights, don’t know the power behind their vote, don’t know the power behind their voice,” she said. “(We need to) educate everybody on what to do if they’re in a situation where even though they might be a citizen, they’re stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, (so they can) protect themselves because there’s some serious stuff going on.”

Texas Betas coordinated with UT’s Event Readiness and Response Unit for the demonstration. Hernandez said the Unit reached out to him and offered the support of UTPD, largely as a result of the traction their social media post received online.

Joe LoBrutto, director of demonstration and emergency response at UT, walked with the group from Littlefield Fountain most of the way to the south side of the Capitol. UTPD blocked Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to allow the demonstrators to cross, and UTPD and Department of Public Safety State Troopers blocked traffic at 15th Street as well.

Following the conclusion of the demonstration at the Capitol, protestors walked back to Littlefield Fountain in an unplanned march, though UTPD officers still blocked traffic on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Shortly after returning to the Fountain, the crowd dispersed around 2 p.m.

At the second protest of the day, which began around 4:30 p.m., roughly 100 demonstrators gathered to chant and listen to speakers at the south gate of the Capitol grounds. Around 5:30 p.m., the group began to march east along W 11th Street before APD directed the crowd south onto San Jacinto Boulevard. Demonstrators eventually made their way back to Congress Avenue before returning to the Capitol to continue demonstrating.

Leo Scalissi, a spokesperson for PSL Austin, said the march was unplanned due to how quickly the demonstration was planned. Scalissi said the march was a way for the organization to show that they have strength and cannot be silenced.

“We’re out here protesting deportations by ICE and advocating for trans rights,” Scalissi said. “The struggles between immigration and trans rights are integrated and are part of each other.”

A heavy Austin police response accompanied the spontaneous march, mainly for traffic control. No arrests were made during the protest, but shortly before the group began to march, a car honking repeatedly in support of the group was stopped by DPS troopers down the street.

The driver, Maria A., said the trooper told her she was in violation of a city noise ordinance for using her horn. Around 15 demonstrators entered the parking lot and began filming the stop. 

Maria said she felt the trooper let her off with a warning because the group was present. She said while she thought the trooper was initially trying to be intimidating, he calmed down when he returned her license in the presence of the protesters.

After the march, the group began a drum circle at the south gate, and a figure of Trump was destroyed by protesters. They dispersed shortly after, but Scalissi said the organization has plans to continue organizing in the near future.

“People are not going to stand down and go away,” Scalissi said. “They’re going to stand up.”