Tampa protesters call for ICE to leave communities after deadly shooting in Minneapolis

Dozens rally after deadly ICE shooting

A day after a woman was killed by an ICE agent in Minnesota, a large demonstration took place Thursday night outside Tampa City Hall. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports. 

TAMPA, Fla. - A day after a woman was killed by an ICE agent in Minnesota, a large demonstration took place Thursday night outside Tampa City Hall.

The backstory:

The protest followed the death of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. It also came on the same day as a separate incident in Portland, Oregon, where two people were hospitalized after a shooting involving federal immigration officers.

RELATED: FBI: US border agents allegedly involved in Portland shooting, 2 people injured

What they're saying:

"We’re out here today to stand in solidarity with the folks in Minneapolis and also to remember Renee Good’s name," said Yunqing Zheng, who works with the Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network and helped organize Thursday’s protest.

READ: ICE officer who fatally shot woman in Minneapolis identified

Plenty of protesters held signs, dressed in colorful costumes and waved upside-down American flags. For over an hour, the group chanted for changes to immigration enforcement policies.

"We are saying ICE out of everywhere, ICE out of our communities," Zheng said. "Specifically, we also want to demand an end to 287(g) in our city."

The other side:

The 287(g) program is a federal immigration initiative that allows local law enforcement agencies, including the Tampa Police Department, to partner with ICE. In Florida, the program has been expanded as part of a push by Governor Ron DeSantis to increase cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

In October, DeSantis said, "We're helping deliver people here illegally to the feds and ICE and DHS, and that's continuing." 

Big picture view:

Among the group of protesters was Brandon Wagner, who raised concerns about how immigration enforcement is carried out locally.

"They feel they can do anything that they want to in our community to take away immigrants," he said.

Despite heightened emotions among dozens of demonstrators nationwide, the protest in Tampa remained peaceful.

"Protesting is the only way to actually affect regime change," Wagner concluded. "That is something we must do. Be out in public and spread the word to others who may not know what’s going on."

What's next:

Organizers say another demonstration is planned at Tampa City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m.