Hundreds protested outside the Michigan Capital in Lansing on Saturday. Thousands marched through the streets of Detroit. Tens of thousands joined protests across the nation, raising signs and voices criticizing the Trump administration over immigration, education policy, health spending and diversity issues.
The April 19, 2025, events were the latest in a series of national protests prompted by such groups as 50501, MI-Resist, March4Liberty and No Voice Unheard. Loosely joining forces after President Donald Trump took office in January, those organizations and others have been encouraging and promoting public resistance protests to challenge actions from the White House. Previous nationwide protests were held Feb. 5, March 4 and April 4.
Since taking office Jan. 20, Trump has signed 130 executive orders, including declaring a national energy emergency, eliminating government diversity and equity programs, ending birthright citizenship, and lifting a moratorium on the federal death penalty. He also declared a national emergency at the southern border, implemented widespread deportations of non-citizens, and ordered the revocation of visas for international students studying at U.S. universities. Many of those orders are under challenge in U.S. federal courts.
Additionally, under the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency, led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, the president's team moved to cancel funding for government offices and operations that they said are not in line with the president's agenda. Trump also signed an order pulling the U.S. out of the World Health Organization.
Fiftyfiftyone, which calls itself a decentralized network, said on its website that the president's actions are anti-democratic. The organization called Saturday a National Day of Action.
"Our movement shows the world that the American working class will not sit idly by as plutocrats rip apart their democratic institutions and civil liberties while undermining the rule of law," organizers of 50501 stated on their website.
The group listed the next nationwide protest as May 1, calling it May Day Strong.
In Lansing on March 4, Katie Miglietti said she was concerned about global tensions in the wake of Trump's actions.
“Plenty of European leaders have already spoken out about Trump’s treatment of [Ukranian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and his decision toward Ukraine," Miglietti said. "So, I definitely anticipate growing tensions worldwide, even with Canada, one of our primary allies. We have the auto industry here, and with the tariffs in Canada, we’ll definitely see the trade war’s effects in Michigan directly.”
Others protesting in March included veterans who said they wanted to protest cuts to the VA Administration, Michigan residents who criticized Trump's comments regarding a U.S. takeover of Gaza, and the president's televised fight with Zelenskyy on Feb. 28. Many also spoke against Elon Musk’s use of DOGE to enact mass federal layoffs.
“PTSD was a huge issue when I came back," said a veteran who declined to provide his name. "If it weren’t for the VA, I wouldn’t be here right now. Now, Trump wants to cut funding to the VA. If that isn’t a big 'F-U' to veterans, then I don’t know what is.”
Organizers of 50501 said their idea was to prompt 50 protests in 50 states on a single day to call attention "to the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies."
"In just days, grassroots organizers — without any budget, centralized structure, or official backing — pulled off over 80 peaceful protests in all 50 states," 50501 organizers reported on the group's website. "Twelve days later, tens of thousands of Americans declared 'No Kings Day' and protested once more. On March 4, a call to stand up for democracy was answered with another wave of protests. On April 5, millions rallied."
Members of Michigan Resistance, a grassroots political action group, also participated in the protest. “We want to make sure that our voices are heard before the State of the Union address so that people are seeing the truth over the lies that are going
to be spewed out tonight," a Michigan Resistance participant said. “We’re pissed off! We’re here to let people know that they’re not alone, and we’re going to keep fighting until things change."
The protests occurred in tandem March 4, as hundreds of protestors made their way to the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, voicing their frustrations in speeches and in signage regarding actions by President Donald Trump’s current administration. Some of the speakers included teachers, former republican voters, a veteran who served two years in the Ukrainian army, and a U.S. army veteran who served three tours between Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Lansing protest featured a variety of individuals with different messages, with the U.S. flag flying alongside those of Ukraine, Palestine, and Canada, all within a sea of signs criticizing Trump’s actions. Many of the signs criticized Musk.
On the steps of the Michigan State Capitol building, protesters carried signs criticizing Trump’s massive cuts to federal programs such as USAID and the National Park Service, and his plans to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education. Similar protests were reported at state capitals across the county, one at each state capital, with protestors carrying signs reading "No Kings," "Make Racism Wrong Again," and "Oust Muskrat."
FiftyFiftyOne is promising more activity, with a scheduled May Day Strong listed on its website for May 1. Regarding the May Day protest, 50501 organizers, posting on that website, said:
"Trump and his billionaire profiteers are trying to create a race to the bottom — on wages, on benefits, on dignity itself. This May Day we are fighting back. We are demanding a country that puts our families over their fortunes — public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, prosperity over free market politics."
No Voice Unheard is another group organizing protests. Group leaders posted on its website a Code of Ethics for the protests that emphasized a commitment to nonviolence and insistence on showing respect for others, even those who disagree. 50501 also emphasizes nonviolence, stating on its website: "50501 is a peaceful movement."
For further information regarding the protests and upcoming events, visit www.march4liberty.org, and www.fiftyfifty.one.
Eastern Echo staff contributed to this report.
