Cleveland joins nationwide anti-ICE shutdown with Friday rally on Public Square

What they're saying: "We want the federal government to understand that we will not be backing down, and that these streets belong to the people of Cleveland," said new City Councilman Tanmay Shah, who emceed a press conference Thursday morning at Glenville High School.

Catch up quick: Shah is an immigrant from India who moved to Cleveland when he was 9 years old.

• "As an immigrant, I can say that we're tired. And we're done with justifying our existence and our humanity."

Zoom in: Rabbi Miriam Geronimus, who founded the Cleveland Jewish Collective, cited the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti as evidence that ICE agents are a danger to all.

• "Cleveland could be next," she said.

Yes, but: Speakers noted the resistance by everyday Minnesotans has been inspiring.

• "They are refusing to believe that safety comes from abandoning our neighbors," Geronimus said. "And so we follow Minnesota's lead."

The big picture: President Trump attempted to turn down the temperature after the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti, but renewed his verbal attacks against Minneapolis leaders Wednesday.

• Border czar Tom Homan, Trump's new man on the ground, struck a conciliatory tone Thursday and said he sees a path to de-escalation through "commonsense cooperation."

The intrigue: Regardless of the planned Minnesota troop drawdown, Cleveland activists see this as merely a small step in a long road of resistance ahead.

The last word: "Our process of collective action is a muscle that we're training," Shah said.