Tennessee Democrats, Activist Groups Plan ‘Rapid Response Protest to Support Kilmar Abrego Garcia’ amid Nationwide ‘No King’ Events

Democrats and activist groups in Tennessee have announced a “Rapid Response Protest” to show their support for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the citizen of El Salvador who was deported in March and returned to the United States last week by the U.S. Department of Justice to face charges for an allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants, as he is arraigned in Nashville on Friday.

According to an event page on the progressive organizing website Mobilize, the protest is organized by a “group of local organizations” who claim Abrego Garcia is being subjected to “trumped-up charges” after being returned from El Salvador, where the activists claim he was “abducted” and deported “without due process.”

One of the organizations behind the protest, UVOTN, published a list of demands that include an end to “the persecution and scapegoating of Kilmar,” as well as an end to the weaponization of justice, constitutional abuses, vengeful prosecutions, political trials,” as well as the “wrongful deportation” and “demonization” of illegal immigrants.

The protest is also supported by Indivisible TN7, a local activist group that states its purpose is to “take action, build collective purpose, create progressive change, and preserve our democracy.”

Another organization featured on the event flyer is the Tennessee Democracy Network, an East Tennessee nonprofit that states it is “committed to nonpartisan civic leadership and civic education initiatives that build community.”

The fourth group on the flyer is Third Act Tennessee, which is part of “a national movement of older Americans seeking to make a difference as we face the climate crisis and respond to our threatened democracy.”

Flyers for the protest were also shared by the Williamson County Democratic Party and the Blount County Democratic Party. The Tennessee Star contacted both to ask whether they were involved with the organization of the protest, but did not receive a response. They likewise did not respond when asked by The Star about the recent California riots in response to federal immigration enforcement, or whether they would call for protesters to remain peaceful in Tennessee.

With the protest organized by at least two activist groups based outside Nashville, and supported by Democrats outside the city, The Star also asked Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) what steps it was taking ahead of the protest, and whether the department is prepared for the possibility the protest could escalate into a riot, as seen in Los Angeles over the weekend, where President Donald Trump has activated the National Guard and called in 700 U.S. Marines to restore order. MNPD did not respond before press time.

U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-07), who is leading a congressional probe investigating Nashville’s response to recent federal immigration enforcement, condemned the protest in a post to the social media platform X.

Notably, the protest is scheduled a day before the nationwide “No Kings” protests on Saturday, which are reportedly linked to American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States last week, when he appeared before a magistrate judge who denied his public defender’s request to be freed pending trial. He stands accused of smuggling illegal immigrants as part of a nearly 10-year conspiracy, with his passengers ranging from gang members to minor children over more than 100 trips.

The Star was first to report that Abrego Garcia was stopped by the Tennessee Highway Patrol on November 30, 2022, when he was suspected of human trafficking, but ordered to be released by the “Biden-era FBI.”

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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].