A local activist group says its first attempt at a “citywide” anti-ICE protest brought dozens of people to multiple corners across Longview and Kelso in early December, reflecting growing public concern about immigration enforcement activity in Cowlitz County.

According to Cascade Forward, the protest—titled “ICE OUT”—took place Sunday, December 7, 2025, with participants gathering at four locations after a fifth planned site “didn’t work out.” Organizers said each location drew roughly 50 people. (Cascade Forward’s write-up is at https://www.cascadeforwardproject.org/journal/ice-out.)

KLOG News reported the following day that protesters were “all over Longview and Kelso” for what they called “ICE OUT,” describing five protest locations and “dozens of people” at each site holding signs opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The KLOG story is at https://www.klog.com/ice-out-protest-classic-hits-100-7-klog-news/.

In its coverage, KLOG said the event was organized by Cascade Forward, describing it as a “50501 organization and No Kings Host,” and quoted a prepared statement calling on local leaders and law enforcement to avoid assisting ICE. The same report said the protest came amid increased ICE activity in the area, including an arrest that was “reported Saturday morning on Ocean Beach Highway near Fred Meyer.”

Cascade Forward’s Dec. 7 post also emphasized what organizers described as increased solidarity with Cowlitz County’s Hispanic community and said the group had become “more connected with the Ethnic Support Council” and planned to work together on future projects.

The Ethnic Support Council is a Longview-based nonprofit that provides translation and interpreting support and helps connect immigrants, refugees, and other community members to services. Its office is at 1213 14th Ave., Longview, WA 98632. Information about the nonprofit is available through its website (https://www.ethnicsupportcouncil.com/) and its services page (https://www.ethnicsupportcouncil.com/services/).

Why it matters locally

Even when national immigration policy dominates headlines, enforcement is experienced locally—at workplaces, on roadways, and in family and community networks. Organizers’ demand that local officials refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement echoes a broader debate over whether local resources should be used to support federal agencies, and what “public safety” means when neighbors are living with fear of detention and family separation.

For Cowlitz County residents, the December “ICE OUT” action is notable not only for turnout, but for the way it connected street-level protest with local mutual-aid and support infrastructure—particularly through the Ethnic Support Council, a longstanding local organization serving people with limited English proficiency and immigrant families.

Sources

Update note: This story is based on publicly available statements and reporting published on December 7–8, 2025.