‘100 days of nothing but chaos’: Miami protesters speak against Trump
The exterior of the Social Security Administration building in Little Havana was abuzz Thursday afternoon with loud chants from about 150 protesters. A seemingly endless trail of nearby drivers honked their horns in support.
“Immigrants are essential,” one protester’s sign read. Next to it, a man held up a colorful sign that said, “GOD HATES TRUMP.”
May 1, known as “May Day,” is International Workers’ Day, and organizers around the country used the day to protest. Many members of Miami’s immigrant communities and their allies took to Calle Ocho to protest President Donald Trump’s administration and voice their support for immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights and the protection of Social Security.
“During the period of time that we’re in now, it’s vitally important that we stand up and show up everywhere we can these days,” Antonio White of United Teachers of Dade, a teachers’ union, told the Miami Herald.
“We all know that when workers don’t have the support or somebody to keep the playing field balanced, we all get out of control,” added White, 63. “We’ve had 100 days of nothing but chaos.”
Thursday’s protest outside the Social Security office took place steps from where Trump supporters celebrated his win just six months ago on Calle Ocho.
But following the first 100 days of Trump’s second administration that saw his approval rating drop to 42 percent, many of the people at the protest expressed displeasure for the president.
Miami Indivisible founder Raquel Pacheco began planning the protest two weeks ago and was intentional about gathering people at a location where Trump’s victory had been celebrated.
“We feel like they’re making an attack on our social programs and have already forced people to retire early,” Pacheco, 50, said of federal workers. “It’s not a drill. It’s actually happening.”
Pacheco said she hoped the protest would help Floridians see the value of voicing their opinions in an open forum without violence or negative response from authorities.
Midtown resident Caroline Lewis was an educator for 35 years. Lewis, 67, emigrated to Miami from Trinidad and Tobago in 1985 and always planned on relying on her Social Security payments once she became eligible.
With Trump in office again, she’s no longer confident about that.
“A very basic quality of life is what we’re after,” she said. “It’s what’s being stripped from America. Who told Trump he could rewrite the rules? We should be fixing problems, not adding to problems.”
Boca Raton resident Shaunellia Ferguson has worked for the Social Security Administration for the past 11 years and took vacation time to participate in Thursday’s protest. It was important for Ferguson to engage people like Lewis about the importance of holding onto their Social Security.
“We are coming to you today saying that you need to fight for your Social Security benefits,” Ferguson, 42, said to the crowd as she spoke through a megaphone. “You need to fight back for what is yours.”
As cars continued to honk their horns and a protester handed out bags of potato chips to hungry signholders, White continued to shout in support of the large crowd outside of the Social Security building.
Holding a large sign admonishing Elon Musk’s DOGE, White was eager to speak with to anyone within earshot.
“Our country is in the midst of some unrecognizable things, and it’s going to take people to stand up and fight back to keep the ship afloat,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re going to end up in a situation we’ve never seen in America.”
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