LULAC members protest detention centers
Group marches to Sen. Johnson’s office
Protesting the government’s treatment of children in detention at the U.S.-Mexican border, League of United Latin American Citizens members marched to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s downtown Milwaukee office Friday during the league’s national convention.
About 100 protesters, including LULAC President Domingo Garcia, demanded to meet with the senator, who is also the chairman of the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee and has power to influence immigration policy.
LULAC members carried animal cages with children’s dolls wrapped in aluminum foil locked inside, mimicking conditions for children reported at the border.
“It’s time to stop the jailing of innocent boys and girls suffering in the hands of the U.S. federal government agents,” Garcia said. “We want Senator Johnson to know that LULAC will march, protest and pursue every lawful means possible to stop this inhumane attack.”
The 100 protesters, including Milwaukee residents and many studentactivists attending the LULAC convention, were stopped in the building’s lobby by security.
Seven LULAC officials then met with members of Johnson’s constituent services staff. Johnson was not at his Milwaukee office Friday.
His office responded with a statement reiterating Johnson’s comments from two weeks ago calling on Congress to act.
“We have to start doing something – Congress. The men and women of DHS are doing what you can do with limited resources. Congress has to act and it has to start with an honest and open discussion and conversation,” Johnson said, adding he has made two recent border trips and has been working with Republicans and Democrats to implement Operation Safe Return, a program to more rapidly adjudicate asylum claims.
The protest came as President Donald Trump arrived in Milwaukee to visit an aerospace center and hold a fundraiser for his 2020 campaign.
“This is only the first blast,” Garcia said. “Welcome to Milwaukee, President Donald Trump.”
Several student-activists who traveled to Milwaukee for the LULAC convention said they marched to speak up for those in detention at the border.
Chris Vasquez, 19, a college sophomore from Texas, said marching Friday “meant everything” to him. Vasquez said he has family at the border and called being in proximity to the government’s handling of immigrants “traumatic.”
Follow Marisa Peryer on Twitter @marisa_peryer. Contact her at mperyer@gannett.com.