Dreamers unite
Marchers protest county’s aggressive deportation program
About 1,000 march downtown to protest deportations.
Around 1,000 people from across the country marched more than a mile Saturday through downtown Houston protesting the deportation of undocumented immigrants as part of a national conference for young Hispanics.
Wearing orange shirts that read, “Undocumented and here to stay,” marchers endured 90-degree temperatures as they weaved their way through Discovery Green, a popular park for Houstonians.
Passersby watched as protestors shouted varying chants such as, “I am somebody” and “We are the mighty, mighty immigrants.” The march brought traffic to a standstill as it turned down San Jacinto, ending in front of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
“We are marching for our families. We are marching for our communities, specifically to stop being separated (from them) through deportation,” Maria Trevino-Rodriguez said.
Participants in the march were gathered for United We Dream Congress 2016, the largest immigration event of its type in the nation. An estimated 1.4 million people in the U.S. are dubbed dreamers, meaning they came to America without authoriza- tion as minors. They are eligible for work permits and relief from deportation under President Barack Obama’s executive order, called the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
About 68,000 immigrants are thought to be eligible for DACA in Harris County, which detains and deports more immigrants
than almost any other county in the U.S.
Under a controversial program known as 287(g), which expires at the end of June and is being evaluated for renewal, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office transfers undocumented people entering the county jail into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some protest participants held piñatas inscribed with 287(g). Seek ‘life with dignity’
“As an undocumented Latina, who is privileged enough to have DACA, we simply want to live with no more fear,” Trevino-Rodriguez said. “I want to live in a community where I’m not fearing that my parents will get separated from me and deported.
“We want to live a life with dignity in our communities and in our home.
The protest remained orderly with several police officers directing traffic and monitoring the march on horseback. Many signs directly called for an end to 287(g) and criticized Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman by proclaiming “You are not ICE” and “Your duty is to protect and serve not criminalize, terrorize and deport.”
Amy Zapien, who is originally from Dallas but now does nonprofit arts education in Houston, still had zest for the cause after several hours in the heat.
“I came to the United We Dream Congress to stand in solidarity with immigrants who are unjustly being convicted as criminals when they’re just trying to look for a better life,” the 24-year-old said. “I come from a family of im- migrants, so it’s really close to me.”
The protesters, made up of mainly Hispanic and African-American participants, also focused on issues facing African-American and LGBT communities. ‘Racism is contagious’
At one point, the protesters began to chant, “Black Lives Matter. Trans Lives Matter”
Before the march, Mexican-born American journalist Jorge Ramos urged participants to continue to voice their opinion on immigration issues.
National politics also took center stage during Ramos’ keynote speech and the subsequent question-and-answer session.
“You’ve heard from Donald Trump that we’re criminals, and that’s not true,” Ramos said. “I think hatred and racism is contagious. Because a politician is saying something racist, many Americans feel it’s legitimate.”
Much attention also was paid to the landmark ruling expected shortly on the legality of Obama’s executive order in a case filed by the state of Texas.
“If the Supreme Court doesn’t agree with us, we’re going to keep on fighting,” Ramos said.
Ramos also addressed a conference participant who wanted to know how the Hispanic community could help the transgender community.
In response, Ramos said, “We are all the same. We are all human beings.”