Thousands converged onto La Alma-Lincoln Park west of Downtown Denver Friday afternoon in protest of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The protest, one of hundreds throughout the country, took place during what was described as a “National Shutdown,” with a handful of Minnesota-based organizations encouraging people throughout the country to strike from work for the day to protest federal authorities enforcement operations in the state.

Several Denver-area school districts, including Aurora Public Schools, changed their schedules or closed school for the day completely as concerns arose over adequate staffing. About a thousand students also march.

Several speakers talked about the importance of the demonstration and, they said, stopping ICE’s work throughout the country.

“Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I don’t understand what happened,” said one 15-year-old girl from East High School. “I’m young, but I’m not dumb.”

Another student, who introduced himself as Christian, said his family was from Buenos Aires and that his mother no longer feels safe enough to leave her house.

“I wouldn’t know if they took my mother away, a lot of people don’t know where their friends, their families, their parents went,” Christian said.

Two of the people killed by federal agents in recent weeks — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — have Colorado ties. Good grew up in Colorado Springs; Pretti’s parents currently live in Arvada.

“That could have been me, that could have one of you,” said Donny Torres, who was with a Native American-affiliated group identified as Rise and Represent, speaking about the deaths of Good and Pretti. “I know I won’t let their names be forgotten, and I know you won’t either.”

This week, President Donald Trump said his administration will “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota, calling the deaths “terrible.”

Meanwhile, a White House official defended the surge in operations, saying the goal is to stop the deaths of Americans in the hands of people illegally staying in the country.

“There are countless Americans who live with a broken heart because an illegal immigrant, who should never have been in our country, was allowed to stay and take an innocent life,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on social media Friday. “We are deporting criminals from America so that no family will have to suffer a tragedy like this ever again.”

Another demonstration is expected to be held Saturday night on the steps of the Colorado state Capitol.