Trump's immigration policies draw ire as thousands protest in Washington, Asheville

Thousands of US workers and students took to the streets on Tuesday in condemnation of US President Donald Trump's immigration policies, which have drawn widespread outrage across the nation.

Demonstrations took place in cities and on university campuses on the first anniversary of Trump's second term, driven by anger over his relentless immigration crackdown.

In Washington, D.C., and smaller cities like Asheville, North Carolina, hundreds of protesters gathered, chanting slogans such as "No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA," Reuters reported, citing online footage. 

This discontent was intensified following the recent incident in Minneapolis, where federal agents forcibly removed a U.S. citizen from her car, leading to the tragic death of 37-year-old mother Renee Good.

The Trump administration maintains that it has a voter mandate to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, yet recent polls indicate that a majority of Americans disapprove of the forceful tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies.

University students in Cleveland, Ohio, joined the protests, chanting "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here," while high school students in Santa Fe, New Mexico, walked out of class to attend a "Stop ICE Terror" rally at the state capitol.

The protests are said to be organised by left-leaning groups like Indivisible and 50501, as well as labour unions and organisations, highlighting opposition to immigrant detention camps, including one in El Paso, Texas, where three detainees have died in the past six weeks.

The demonstrations are set to continue, with some planned in cities such as San Francisco and Seattle.