LOS ANGELES, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Protests took place across the United States on Friday as thousands of demonstrators took the opportunity of the Independence Day holiday to rally against President Donald Trump, his immigration enforcement policy, and his "big, beautiful bill" -- a new tax and spending bill.

The protests, held in major cities like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, demonstrated growing public opposition to the country's direction, particularly regarding aggressive immigration enforcement and fiscal policies viewed as favoring the wealthy at the expense of social services.

The demonstrations, part of the "Free America" march, were organized primarily by the 50501 movement. In a statement, the group accused Trump of attempting to "turn the country into a dictatorship."

In downtown Los Angeles, hundreds skipped traditional barbecues and fireworks to protest against immigration raids that have intensified in the region over the past month.

Protesters gathered outside the Federal Building that houses an immigration court, chanting, "No more occupation! No more deportation!"

In June, many were further enraged by the federal government's decision to deploy over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to the Los Angeles area, allegedly to protect federal buildings during unrest. State and local officials have criticized the move for worsening tensions.

On Friday in Washington, Trump hosted a celebration at the White House, where he signed into law what he referred to as a "big, beautiful bill" -- a sweeping tax and spending package that critics argue disproportionately benefits wealthy Americans while expanding the federal deficit.

California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, speaking to the Los Angeles crowd, rejected the president's framing, calling the budget bill the "big, beautiful scam."

"Immigration spending in this country is now more than the military spending of 165 countries around the world," he said. "ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has more money than the city of Los Angeles 10 times over. That's not what we want our tax dollars going toward."

Similar sentiments were echoed in Chicago where a large group of people gathered in the downtown area to denounce Trump's immigration policies, saying people's civil rights were being attacked.

The crowd held placards reading "Our Resistance Is Ungovernable" and "The Land of the Free Is No Longer Free," and chanted "say it loud and say it clear, immigrants are welcome here," video footage circulated showed.

In Eugene, Oregon, demonstrators gathered outside the federal courthouse to protest both the immigration agenda and the spending bill.

The crowd carried American flags, some held upside down as a symbol of distress. "No Kings Since 1776" was a recurring message, pointing to fears of growing executive power.

"Violating our rights and threatening our legal system -- we're not going to take it lying down," Charlie Jaspera, a local resident holding a "No Kings" sign, told the radio station KLCC, adding that the bill will only benefit "the billionaires and millionaires in our country."

Protests also took place in towns across Colorado, including Arvada, Fort Collins and Lamar. In Arvada, demonstrators lined both sides of a major avenue, holding signs and American flags during a "No Kings 2.0" rally, a follow-up to last month's "No King" demonstrations.

These July 4 protests stood in stark contrast to Trump's "America 250" initiative, launched on Memorial Day in May to count down to the 250th anniversary of the United States' founding in 2026.

While the Trump administration has promoted the campaign as a celebration of national pride, the protests underscored a nation deeply divided along political and ideological lines.

A recent polling indicated this divide. A Fox News survey revealed Friday that only 36 percent of Democrats reported feeling proud of the United States today, compared to 85 percent of Republicans. ■