Thousands demonstrate in defense of immigrants as White House vows more deportations
By
Tom Eley
13 February 2017
Demonstrations in the US continued over the weekend against last week’s mass roundup of immigrants, the first “surge” in deportations since President Donald Trump signed a January 25 executive order dramatically expanding the purview of anti-immigrant police actions.
An annual march for civil rights in Raleigh, North Carolina, held Saturday, drew a record crowd of over 20,000. The turnout was fueled by opposition to Trump’s brutal policies against both Hispanic and Muslim immigrants.
In Minneapolis on Saturday, a crowd estimated at 2,000 marched through the downtown area, blocking streets in the central business district and at the University of Minnesota.
In New York City, protests took place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday’s protest, called by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, drew several thousand to Battery Park.
In Chicago on Saturday, hundreds rallied at Rogers Park and outside of Trump Tower. Hundreds also demonstrated outside of the White House on Saturday, chanting “Undocumented, Unafraid!”
In northern Virginia, walkouts involving hundreds of students hit several high schools on Friday. Protests have continued in cities targeted in last week’s raids, including Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
On Thursday night, several hundred protesters took to the streets in Los Angeles in response to the crackdown, temporarily blocking Highway 101. There were chants of “Shut down ICE! [Immigration and Customs Enforcement].”
In Mexico City, thousands marched down the capital city’s central boulevard, the Paseo de la Reforma, in opposition to Trump’s plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement…