Thousands Rally Against Federal Immigration Crackdown and War in Iran

KALAMAZOO, MI — More than 8,000 people gathered on North Drake Road in Kalamazoo Saturday for a No Kings Rally as part of a nationwide day of peaceful protest against President Donald Trumps administration.

The rally was part of the third major wave of No Kings demonstrations that took place across the country on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Protestors held signs proclaiming No Kings No Thrones, Save Democracy, and Protest is Patriotic.

Organizers say more than 8,000 showed up on North Drake Road in Kalamazoo for a No Kings Rally to oppose the actions of the Trump administration, according to WKZO.

Portraits of people killed in ICE detention lined the sidewalk, and a choir from Singing Resistance shared protest songs during the event.

A community food drive collected bins of non-perishables that will be delivered to area food pantries in the coming days, organizers said.

National Movement Gains Momentum

The No Kings movement launched last year on Trumps birthday, June 14, and has grown significantly with each mobilization. The first event drew an estimated 4 million to 6 million people across roughly 2,100 sites nationwide. The second mobilization in October involved an estimated 7 million participants in more than 2,700 cities.

SaturdayS events came amid what organizers said was a call to action against the bombardment of Iran by the US and Israel, a conflict that is now four weeks old.

More than 3,200 events were planned in all 50 states across the country. The two previous No Kings events attracted millions of participants.

Demonstrators decrying U.S. President Donald Trumps aggressive deportation efforts, war in Iran and other policies took to city streets across the country on Saturday in the third round of the No Kings rallies, according to Reuters.

Kalamazoo Protesters Voice Concerns

Kalamazoos turnout represented one of the many local protests that took place across the state. More than 100 No Kings protests and rallies were planned across Michigan on Saturday.

Protesters gathered across Michigan on Saturday as part of the third major wave of No Kings demonstrations, with organizers and advocacy groups pushing for what they say could be the largest turnout yet, according to Michigan Advance.

The rally in Kalamazoo focused on opposition to federal immigration enforcement, the war with Iran, and what many described as authoritarian policies from the Trump administration.

Americans are facing skyrocketing gas prices and a flagging economy due to the war, according to CNN.

National Context

The movement has seen particularly strong participation in smaller communities, with nearly 40 percent more events in smaller communities from the movementS first mobilization last June, organizers said.

Two-thirds of the events were happening outside major cities, a nearly 40 percent jump for smaller communities from the movementS first mobilization last June, according to Reuters.

In New York, a crowd that police estimated at tens of thousands stretched more than 10 blocks in midtown Manhattan. Actor Robert De Niro, one of the organizers, said that no president before Trump has posed such an existential threat to our freedoms and security.

In Washington, the crowd chanted pro-democracy slogans and held anti-Trump signs, according to Reuters.

Political Reactions

The rallyS timing comes as Trumps approval rating has fallen to 36 percent, its lowest point since his return to the White House, according to a ReutersIpsos poll.

A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee criticized Democratic politicians and candidates for supporting the rallies, calling them Hate America Rallies, according to Reuters.

Looking Ahead

With midterm elections later this year in the United States, organizers say they have seen a surge in the number of people organizing anti-Trump events and registering to participate in deeply Republican states.

Competitive suburban areas that have helped decide national elections are seeing huge increases in interest, according to Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, the group that started the No Kings movement last year.

The No Kings movement continues to grow as Americans push back against what they describe as authoritarian policies from the Trump administration.