A photograph of a member of the Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee speaking at a microphone during an ICE protest outside Tampa City Hall in Tampa, Florida, on July 19, 2026. Positioned center stage, the speaker is framed from the waist up, wearing clear glasses and a white t-shirt featuring a large black butterfly design and printed text that reads "TAMPA IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COMMITTEE / UNIDOS EN LA LUCHA." They are holding a microphone in one hand while speaking passionately. Behind them, two other individuals stand supporting a white banner; the person on the left wears a dark bucket hat and black shirt, while the person on the right wears sunglasses. The banner features a black raised fist icon and text, with part of the phrase "A IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COMMITTEE" clearly visible. The background consists of a brutalist, light grey concrete building facade under soft daylight.
A member of Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee outside Tampa City Hall in Tampa, Florida on July 19, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Two killings nearly 2,000 miles apart—and one death much closer to home—brought about two dozen protesters to Tampa City Hall last Sunday, just ahead of afternoon thunderstorms. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Maine killed Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero on July 13, less than a week after agents in Houston killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a traffic stop. A day after the killing in Maine, Juan Jairo Coronilla Duran was struck by a car and killed while running from the agency during a stop in St. Augustine. 

A coalition of activists—including Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee, the local chapters of Students for a Democratic Society and the Democratic Socialists of America—called for justice and also reminded community members that when immigrants are under attack, it’s the responsibility of those around them to push back. The groups also called for local police to end their 287(g) agreements with the feds, which are not mandatory despite rhetoric from some law enforcement leaders.

Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected.
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected.
Credit: Dave Decker
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
A sign in support of immigrant rights activist NADIA TOPETE while following the recent killings of two people, LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO in Houston, Texas and JOHAN SEBASTIAN DURAN GUERRERO in Biddeford, Maine members of the Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee staged an emergency protest to show solidarity with all those affected. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

This article appears in July 16 – 22, 2026.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...

Dave Decker is a songwriter and photographer living in Tampa Bay.