Hundreds Protest In Cities Across U.S. Against Trump's Immigrant Family Separations
Hundreds protested across the country on Thursday against the Trump administration’s separation of migrant parents and children at the U.S. border.
The rallies, organized by the campaign Families Belong Together, were planned in dozens of cities across a number of states, including California, Florida and Ohio.
People took to the streets in response to the Trump administration’s new ”zero tolerance” policy on immigration, which has led to the separation of migrant parents from their children. The new policy refers all migrants crossing the border illegally for criminal prosecution ― meaning parents can get sent to jails run by the U.S. Marshals Service, while children are placed separately in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Some parents who have been separated from their kids have then been unable to locate them.
The policy has sparked outrage in recent weeks, with Democratic lawmakers and activists taking to the streets of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to protest the family separations outside a Customs and Border Protection office. Last weekend, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) visited migrant mothers being detained in Washington state, some of whom had been separated from their children by border officials.
“The mothers could not stop crying when they spoke about their children,” the congresswoman said in a statement to the media after the visit. “Young girls and boys who were taken from them with no chance to say goodbye and no plan for reunification.”
See what the demonstrations across the country looked like:
California
— Laura (@mybellavino) June 15, 2018
Florida
Our voices were heard today. Thank you Orlando! #FamilesBelongTogether @familiesbelong @nastiestwoman pic.twitter.com/FsOo60tYkc
— Mrs. Mac 💛🖤 (@Imarunnerchix) June 15, 2018
Massachusetts
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Rally in Boston to oppose Trump's xenophobic deportation machine.#FamiliesBelongTogether#EndFamilySeparation #AbolishICE #DefundICE pic.twitter.com/iqIgqs1mjT
— MASafeCommunitiesAct (@SafeCommsAct) June 14, 2018
Boston folx able to get out today: there's still time time to join the #familiesbelongtogether rally outside the State House! pic.twitter.com/giqy9C14l6
— Maggie Hoffman (@mmmaggiehoffman) June 14, 2018
Michigan
#StopSeparatingFamilies #FamiliesBelongTogether#Detroit pic.twitter.com/FjvwxS3tYb
— Michigan United (@MichiganUnited) June 14, 2018
New York
#FamiliesBelongTogether in Bklyn. We're chanting #ICE has got to go!" pic.twitter.com/iRxpYEvCqd
— Dorothee Benz (@DrBenz3) June 14, 2018
Here at the Brooklyn @familiesbelong protest against the inhumane treatment of migrant families in the US. #FamiliesBelongTogether #TrumpsCamps pic.twitter.com/IdrxgLvq5J
— marisa kabas (@MarisaKabas) June 14, 2018
We're gathered at the Federal Building in Albany, NY demanding that the Trump administration #EndFamilySeparation immediately! #FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/FScc0b4hGo
— Citizen Action of NY (@citizenactionny) June 14, 2018
Ohio
200 strong in Cincinnati pic.twitter.com/dkpMQ1pMry
— Nonnie (@Nonnie39808040) June 14, 2018
Our protesters are lining the Roebling Bridge, which separates Ohio from Kentucky, to declare that #FamilesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/3lN51Hhqo0
— Families Belong Together (@familiesbelong) June 14, 2018
Oregon
Continuing protest march around the Portland ICE facility. Four blocks’ worth of Portlanders saying #FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/hVjhlpmWlh
— Ruth Adkins (@RuthJA) June 14, 2018
Pennsylvania
Philly shuts down @ICEgov. #FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/4j6mXteLWl
— melissa byrne (@mcbyrne) June 14, 2018
Washington, D.C.
MASSIVE #FamiliesBelongTogether rally in DC, easily 1000+ people, tons of parents & kids. @SenCortezMasto speaking now about how 1 in 5 Nevadans are immigrants pic.twitter.com/sI99cERpT9
— Alexis Goldstein🔥 (@alexisgoldstein) June 14, 2018
It is our souls at stake. @RepJayapal at #FamiliesBelongTogether DC @familiesbelong pic.twitter.com/L0iWmwnyk8
— Kathryn Laskey (@KathrynLaskey) June 14, 2018
Capitol Hill just now, where hundreds - including whole families - turned out for #FamiliesBelongTogether.
“Kids do not belong in prisons,” one speaker said, “kids do not belong in cages.” pic.twitter.com/3XUgMriIiZ— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) June 14, 2018
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.