Civil rights protest set for Thursday to oppose ICE and FBI activities on Maui

A local civil rights activist group plans to hold a protest rally from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday outside the Kalana O Maui Building in Wailuku, calling on county leaders to reject federal law enforcement partnerships and adopt what organizers describe as “protective legislation” for Maui.

Organized by members of Maui Indivisible and allied community groups, the event is being held in response to what the group calls “increasing collaboration between the Maui Police Department and federal agencies under agreements made since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.” In a statement announcing the rally, organizers said the Maui County Council and mayor “should enact laws that protect Maui, not collaborate with Trump.”

The group’s statement cites contracts between the Maui Police Department and federal partners including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Guard. Organizers contend these agreements require review and approval by the Maui County Council under county code and state law — something they say has not consistently occurred.

Organizers say the agreements could enable federal surveillance and enforcement activities on Maui without sufficient local oversight. They argue that these contracts mirror Trump administration directives expanding the definition of domestic terrorism and targeting groups engaged in protest, immigration advocacy, and social justice organizing.

Maui Indivisible says the county’s elected leaders have “spent valuable time deliberating, and then not voting” on the contracts, a decision the group describes as “creating yet another crisis.” They are urging officials to take a firm stance to prevent what they call the “local implementation” of a “police state.”

The demonstration is expected to include speakers, signs and music outside the county building, where traffic along High and Main streets may be affected during the 90-minute event.