Stars and agents call for immigrant rights in Beverly Hills rally

BEVERLY HILLS: As most of Hollywood gears up for the Oscars and the whirlwind of events and parties this weekend, celebrities and top talent agents gathered in Beverly Hills to do something a little different: rally for immigration rights.

Jodie Foster, Michael J. Fox and Keegan-Michael Key were among the speakers at the rally, organised by the United Talent Agency outside of their Beverly Hills headquarters.

Security officials estimated there were 1,200 people in attendance.

Key, who kicked things off, said the event was intended to, “support the creative community’s growing concern with anti-immigration sentiment”. He welcomed all because “this is America, where you get to believe what you want”.

One Trump supporter walked through the crowd in a Make America Great Again hat early on saying “you’re not going to block me”.

For the most part, however, the crowd was subdued, civil and attentive to the celebrity speakers.

Michael J. Fox, who became a United States citizen some 20 years ago, remembered being annoyed at the eight-year process to citizenship and now wonders what he was complaining about.

Turning immigrants away, Fox said, is “an assault on human dignity”. — AP