Anti-Trump activists with the 50501 movement are planning coordinated nationwide protests on Easter weekend, targeting President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration enforcement policies. The group, which claims to be bipartisan and constitutionalist, is organizing events in all 50 states on Saturday, April 19, under the slogan “50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement.”
Spokesperson Hunter Dunn told the Washington Post the movement is designed to oppose what it describes as “authoritarianism under the Trump administration.” Despite claims of nonpartisanship, the group has taken public stands in support of figures with deep left-wing affiliations, including deported alleged MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Promotional material and social media posts by 50501 advocate for Garcia, an illegal immigrant deported under the Trump administration. According to court documents and law enforcement reports, Garcia was arrested while driving with other known MS-13 members, had no license, and was found to be transporting seven people from Texas to Maryland in 2022. His wife also filed multiple protective orders against him, citing severe domestic abuse and physical violence, including visible injuries and repeated threats.
Despite this, 50501’s Instagram page describes Garcia as a “father of three” and a “sheet metal worker” unjustly deported. Their messaging echoes Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s controversial trip to El Salvador, where he attempted to meet with Garcia, a visit that failed after officials denied him access to the prison where Garcia is reportedly held.
President Trump addressed the controversy Friday, stating, “Garcia is an illegal alien, MS-13 gang member, and foreign terrorist,” citing information from the State Department. He criticized the movement and Democrat leaders for backing Garcia’s return, calling it “insane.”
The April 19 protests will occur in major cities across the U.S., with one demonstration planned outside Vice President JD Vance’s residence. The protests align with the broader push by progressive activists to resist Trump’s enforcement of immigration law and deportations of criminal illegal aliens.
While 50501 claims to be protecting democracy, its vocal support of a deported individual with violent gang ties and a documented history of domestic abuse is drawing sharp criticism and raising questions about the true motives behind the group’s so-called “day of action.”
