Wadsworth is seeing protests for and against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE. Tim Neal, a Wadsworth resident, has been out in the center of downtown for several days now, staging a solo protest in support of ICE.

ICE has been significantly active in states like Texas, California and Minnesota, enforcing the immigration policies of the Trump administration. In 2025, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that 675,000 people have been deported.

Neal said that he is a sixth-generation Wadsworth resident and Wadsworth High School graduate who believes the Trump administration is taking the right direction with immigration.

“I don’t see [Trump] doing anything outside of what any other administration before him was doing,” Neal said.

Neal believes that it was important for him to back ICE after seeing all the recent anti-ICE protests. According to The Guardian, 50,000 people attended an anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 23.

Now, national politics are being debated in Wadsworth Square.

“I felt like I needed to go out and support my vote and what I voted for,” Neal said.

Neal carried a sign that read “Thank You, ICE,” and “God Bless America.”

“I believe in America first,” Neal said regarding his support for ICE. “You should respect our vote and let ICE enforce federal laws.”

Cars driving through the square would honk or yell something out the window in support of Neal, while others would yell obscenities to disagree with Neal and the signs he was holding.

On Wednesday, Neal’s protest sparked a counter-protest from some local students.

Zach Burton is a senior at Wadsworth High School and led the protest against ICE on Feb. 3.

“As a 17-year-old in high school, I believe we should show support for the people affected and show we are against ICE,” Burton said.

Burton wanted to come out and protest against ICE after seeing Neal protesting downtown for the past couple of days. 

Burton disagrees with the arrests ICE has been making.

“ICE is incredibly inhumane,” Burton said about the daily deportations. “These people that ICE is arresting are just normal, everyday people, but they have a different skin color and speak a different language.”

Burton would be joined by five other local students as the protest went on.

Both protests lasted for multiple hours. The demonstrations remained peaceful throughout. Local businesses and citizens came out in support of different protesters, giving them hot cocoa and gift cards.