Los Angeles: March with 73 Coffins for Immigrant Deaths

Hundreds of people marched in downtown Los Angeles to demand justice for immigrant deaths in ICE custody or during ICE operations. The protest carried 73 symbolic coffins and denounced the mass deportation pushed by Donald Trump.

The demonstration passed in front of City Hall and brought together religious organizations, immigrant advocates, and farmworkers. Participants called for an end to what they described as an ICE “reign of terror.”

The event commemorated people who died in recent operations and immigrants who died in federal custody. Among the most mentioned names were Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero.

What Did the Coffins Symbolize?

The 73 black cardboard coffins served as a funeral representation. Each one sought to make visible a death, a family, and a story that, according to organizers, must not remain silent. The march also included 53 names of immigrants who died in ICE custody since Trump returned to the presidency. That figure appears in the count cited by organizers and in circulated reports.

Erika Andiola, political director of the National Network of Farmworkers, stated that the community gathered to honor immigrant workers. She also demanded an end to what she described as a fear campaign. Symbolic marches have grown in several cities because they combine mourning and protest. In this case, the image of the coffins sought to connect the pain of families with the national discussion on immigration policy.

What Cases Are Fueling the Protest?

Organizers mentioned the case of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican construction company owner. According to the circulated account, an agent shot him during a traffic stop in Houston, Texas. They also remembered Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian. According to the base report, he died following a detention operation related to a final deportation order.

These cases fit into broader concerns about the increase in deaths in the immigration system. In this sense, the UN human rights office called for independent investigations into deaths in immigration custody. The federal government maintains that the number of deaths must be analyzed alongside the size of the detained population. The Department of Homeland Security has said the death rate in custody is 0.009%. Nevertheless, civil organizations question medical care, supervision, and transparency. Human Rights Watch documented 39 deaths in ICE custody between January 20, 2025, and January 19, 2026.

Why Is Pressure on ICE Growing?

The protest occurs at a time of increased scrutiny over ICE. In April, 29 people had died in custody in 2026, a figure that already exceeded the previous record from 2004. That increase set off alarms among human rights defenders and migrant communities. The concern is not limited to deaths in custody, but also extends to surveillance, prolonged detentions, and lack of clear information.