Swelling in solidarity, hundreds of protesters lined both sides of Sycamore Road in DeKalb Saturday for the latest “No Kings” demonstration to oppose federal policies by President Donald Trump that they argued go against the Constitution.

Amid blaring horns from supportive cars passing by, and occasional jeers from a MAGA-touting pickup truck, some protesters said united resilience is required to prevent the Trump administration from what they believe is an erosion of democratic liberties. Some estimated the crowd size exceeded 1,000 people.

While conservatives have called the No Kings protests “anti-American,” several DeKalb attendees said they took pride in being associated with combating the spread of what they believe is an uptick of fascism and authoritarianism.

Sean Sparrow and his father, Guy Sparrow, of Kirkland, said as military veterans the pair felt it was their honor to show up and demonstrate a dedicated veteran presence.

“I signed an oath to the Constitution, not to a king,” said Sean Sparrow, who served in the Persian Gulf from 1990 to 1991. “My interest is protecting the Constitution that this president and administration is trying to subvert. Americans are suffering. Veterans are suffering.”

Guy Sparrow served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969.

“I wanted to do everything I can to show support for these people,” Guy Sparrow said. “People are starting to get the message that you can’t sit on your butt and do nothing. You got to do something to prevent this guy from ruling over you and the world.”

The Saturday rally at Hopkins Park mirrored No Kings protests that drew thousands across the nation, including seismic turnouts throughout several Chicago-area locations in the face of recent dramatic confrontations between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the public.

A protest organized by the ReSisters also demonstrated outside the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore Saturday.

In the latest ongoing attempt to deploy the National Guard to Chicago as part of the federal government’s “Operation Midway Blitz” immigration enforcement crackdown, Trump on Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the current pause on deployment into Chicago suburban communities. There’s been no ruling yet.

Trump’s Republican Party called Saturday’s nationwide protests “Hate America” rallies, The AP reported.

The protests came after weeks of increased unrest in Chicago and surrounding areas for immigrant communities and those opposed to Trump’s ICE enforcement campaigns. Fear has been felt locally, too.

Devon Wilcox, of the DeKalb Area Rapid Response Team (DARRT), said the community should remain vigilant because ICE was confirmed in town earlier this month. The advocacy group helps track ICE activity in the area and support immigrants and impacted families.

“At a gas station around the corner, ICE pulled up and cornered a man just because he was brown,” Wilcox said. “They discovered that he is a citizen and they left, but they roughed him up a little first. ICE is just racially profiling and harming our communities.”

Police Chief David Byrd previously confirmed ICE’s presence in DeKalb. Local authorities said they could not confirm if an arrest in DeKalb was made, however. Illinois law enforcement aren’t allowed to get involved in federal immigration enforcement.

Wilcox said DAART hosts Know Your Rights events to help people understand how to interact with law enforcement and federal agents who might come into the community to “try and kidnap our neighbors.”

An example is helping people understand the difference between an administrative and judicial warrant. A judicial warrant has to be signed by a judge and must go through due process. Wilcox said ICE often uses an administrative warrant and fills in a person’s name later.

While both warrants can be used by ICE for immigration arrests, only a judicial warrant enables access to a home or nonpublic area, such as a business. A person can refuse entry to ICE into their home or car if they only have an administrative warrant, Wilcox said.

The rapid response team also tries to verify when ICE comes to town and helps make the community aware of its presence.

“We try to be there to document what’s going on and to record any due process violations or any unconstitutional issues,” Wilcox said.

That sentiment was echoed by Christi Slavenas, with the League of Women Voters of DeKalb County. She attended Saturday’s protest with her husband, a U.S. Army veteran in the 82nd Airborne.

“Empowering voters and defending democracy is our organization’s motto,” Slavenas said. “There are currently threats to our Constitution and the right to vote so we are all here to defend it. My family has fought for us to have freedom. Voting is a basic right and it’s under fire right now.”

Slavenas said because voting turnout is lower in America than many other democracies, it’s crucial to remind people of the stakes and to protect their right for self-determination.

“Events like this raise people’s awareness and demonstrate how people are becoming more activist,” Slavenas said. “People are realizing maybe we took democracy for granted. The conversations here are so uplifting because we are talking about positive change.”