Demonstration this Friday to denounce Trump's immigration actions
Bob PerkoskiElection Protests in Cleveland
This Friday, Feb. 3, at 4 p.m., a demonstration denouncing Trump’s executive orders on immigration will be conducted at Market Square on the corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue.
The following is the complete press release regarding the event:
"Civic leaders will join together for a demonstration in Market Square to denounce the Trump administration's executive actions on immigration. These executive orders, calling for the construction of a border wall and threatening the withdrawal of federal funding from sanctuary cities, prioritize the deportation of illegal immigrants without considering the circumstances that drove them to emigrate from their homes. The documents promise to expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement by a combined total of 15,000, but no amount of border control or enforcement will affect whether or not migrants make the difficult choice to leave their countries and seek safety in the US.
There are several push factors existing in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. Chrissy Stonebraker-Martinez, co-director of the InterReligious Task Force on Central America, said, “Neoliberal and militaristic US foreign policies are often at the root of the push factors for refugees who are fleeing violent social and economic persecution. If we promoted true democracy in our international relations, rather empirical, unbridled, domineering policies, refugees would have less reason to flee violence and poverty.”
The Trump administration’s executive actions claim to target dangerous criminals, but, in reality, the new policies are vague enough to put at risk the status of families and individuals who, in the administration’s words, “In the judgment of an immigration officer, otherwise pose a risk to public safety or national security.”
Jose Mendez from DreamActivist Ohio, said of his personal experience with immigration policies, “As a Dreamer, I can’t continue to live in anxiety day by day. We need Congress to act and fix our broken immigration system. I will continue to fight for my family and myself no matter how tough the battle gets.”
Civic society will continue to fight for the rights of immigrants. We call on this administration and the 115th Congress to do everything in their power to reverse these executive orders."
Per the statement, attendees will include the following organizations: InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia, DreamActivist Ohio, Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network, Lorain Ohio Immigrant Rights Association, Cleveland Jobs with Justice, Ohio’s Voice and others.