Culver City participates in "Hands Off" protest against Trump Administration

Culver City residents lined the sidewalks of the Downtown Corridor Saturday, all looking to accomplish a similar goal.

On April 5, a nationwide "Hands-Off" protest was held in cities in all 50 American States, and Culver City was among the cities whose residents participated in the demonstration. Several hundred people gathered in Downtown to speak out against President Donald Trump's administration, with a particular focus on Elon Musk, who currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the President.

According to demonstration organizers, at least 300 people participated in Culver City's protest out of the estimated 3 million nationwide. Musk has been under severe scrutiny since he began heading the recently established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

DOGE has gutted several government agencies in the name of cost-savings. President Trump has honed in on the Department of Education and the United States Agency for International Aid for significant cuts. Supporters argue that these moves are necessary to cut down spending in a government burdened with superfluous positions and initiatives, while detractors point to key services like Ebola containment aid being cut as a disservice to the country.

Kelly Shanley (@kellyashanley) on Threads

Hands Off today in Culver City, CA. I was surprised to see way more Boomers at this march than I have in recent times. I know they already did this when they were young, but I appreciate them coming back out!

Threads

While the focus of the protests was the same, the issues that people were concerned about were as diverse as those who showed up to protest. Demonstrators in Culver City and others like it are protesting the reductions in Social Security, Federal Research Grants for universities, national park services, and veteran services, as well as the disregard for the well-being of allies through tariff policy.

Trump has openly criticized the judiciary system for checking several decisions that are key to his platform, and several law firms have reached formal agreements to give the administration pro bono legal services to avoid penalties from executive orders similar to what was enforced on Hilary Clinton-connected Perkins Boie in March.

This "Hands Off" protest was among the avenues protesters have used to express their dismay at the Trump Administration's approach. They argue that deregulation sets up the government for Trump and Musk to center around their decisions in a more authoritarian system than the one that currently exists.

Concern for minority populations was another driving force behind these protests, as Trump's policies are perceived as targeting these groups. The deportation of what the Trump Administration deems as dangerous illegal immigrants has moved quickly, with over 100,000 people deported since Trump took office on January 20.

The Alien Enemies Act is a law enacted less than a decade after the United States Constitution was ratified in 1788 that has allowed the Trump administration to carry out expedited deportations without trials "whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation or government."

It has only been utilized three other times in the past, all of which were during wartime. The most recent example was during World War II to legally authorize the placement of Japanese-Americans into internment camps. In this case, the Trump Administration argued in February that the Venezuelan "Tren de Aragua" gang was a terrorist organization that fell under the requirements of the Alien Enemies Act.

While some critics have argued that invoking the Alien Enemies Act would be difficult to justify while uninvolved in war, the conservative-majority United States Supreme Court ruled yesterday that deportations could resume under the Alien Enemies Act, given that those being deported received notice far enough in advance to be able to legally challenge their detention through a writ of habeus corpus.

Culver City has pushed back against Trump's overall policy on immigration, reinforcing its stance as a sanctuary city in a statement made by the Culver City Police Department in February.

"Along with following state law, the Culver City Police Department has robust policies that strictly prohibit the enforcement of immigration laws and the sharing of data or information with immigration authorities," the statement reads.

Another population of concern is the LGBTQ+ population, particularly within the gender-fluid community. House Resolution 28 — the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 — would prohibit male-to-female students in American schools from participating in women's sports if passed. It passed through the House of Representatives in January and is currently in the hands of the United States Senate.