Content Advisory: This article discusses immigration enforcement, political protest, and allegations of government abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
Tom Morello brought Rage Against the Machine energy straight to the streets of New York.
The 61-year-old guitarist joined an anti-ICE protest outside 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on May 12, standing with immigrant advocates and families affected by federal immigration enforcement. Reuters photos showed Morello at the demonstration outside the immigration court, while local reports said he spoke and performed during the rally.
Tom Morello Joins Anti-ICE Protest In New York
The protest, called ‘Hands Off NYC’, was organized after Trump border czar Tom Homan threatened to “flood the zone” with immigration agents if New York moved forward with stronger sanctuary protections. New York’s sanctuary policies limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and state leaders have continued defending those restrictions despite federal pressure.
Morello used the rally to directly criticize Trump administration immigration tactics. According to reports, he called for a mass peaceful movement against what he described as authoritarian politics and performed Woody Guthrie’s protest anthem ‘This Land Is Your Land’ with an acoustic guitar.
Morello Takes Aim At ICE Tactics
The rally took place at 26 Federal Plaza, where a federal immigration court is located. Demonstrators gathered there to protest ICE actions and the targeting of immigrant New Yorkers.
Morello appeared alongside community advocates and people directly affected by immigration enforcement, including Allan Dabrio Marrero, who has spoken publicly about being detained across multiple ICE facilities.
The moment fit Morello’s long public history of political activism. Rage Against the Machine built its identity around protest music, anti-authoritarian politics, and direct criticism of state power. Even outside the band, Morello has continued using music as a political tool.
Conservative Backlash Follows
The appearance quickly drew conservative criticism online. Fox News reported that Morello faced backlash after playing to the crowd at the Manhattan protest, with critics objecting to his language and opposition to ICE.
Morello is also currently touring with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on the ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ tour. Springsteen has also been a vocal critic of Trump.
Morello’s anti-ICE work follows earlier protest projects, including ‘A Concert of Solidarity & Resistance to Defend Minnesota!’, which raised funds for families affected by federal immigration actions. He has also worked with immigrant-rights groups through music, including his 2025 protest song ‘Pretend You Remember Me’.
For Morello, the protest was not a random celebrity appearance. It was exactly the kind of political confrontation his career has been built around.
