The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rallies across U.S. protest Trump’s immigration plan
WASHINGTON — Protesters gathered Saturday to support immigrant rights at rallies around the U.S., denouncing President-elect Donald Trump for his rhetoric on immigration, including his pledges to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border and to crack down on Muslims entering the country.
“We are not going to allow Donald Trump to bury the Statue of Liberty,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, told a standing-roomonly crowd at a one of the rallies, held in a historic African-American church in downtown Washington “We are a nation for all people, regardless of religion, regardless of background, regardless of who you love.”
In Chicago, more than 1,000 people poured into a teachers’ union hall to support immigrant rights and implore one another to fight against what they fear will be a hostile Trump administration.
Ron Taylor, pastor of a Chicago area Disciples for Christ Church and executive director of the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations, told the audience there, “Regardless of what happens in the coming days we know that good will conquer evil and we want to say to each and every one of you, you are not alone.”
Saturday’s events took place as thousands attended a “We Shall Not Be Moved” march and rally in Washington ahead of Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
The line to enter Metropolitan AME Church in Washington stretched nearly a city block. People attending included immigrants in the country illegally and their relatives and supporters. Also present were elected officials, clergy and representatives of labor and women’s groups.
“I stand here because I have nothing to apologize for. I am not ashamed of my status because it is a constant reminder to myself that I have something to fight for,” said Max Kim, 19, who was brought to the U.S. from South Korea when he was 6 and lacks legal permission to stay in the country.
The Washington crowd urged Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress not to undo the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, aimed at helping people like Kim who were brought to the country as children.
Michael Takada of the Japanese American Service Committee urged the Chicago audience to “disrupt the deportation machine” that he and others fear will ramp up when under the new president. He also urged them to keep a close eye on their local police departments and speak out if they see those departments help “ICE to deport our community members.”
Dr. Bassam Osman, chair of The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, called out the president-elect by name: “Lord, this land is your land, it is not Trump’s land.”
Many participants Saturday said they planned to participate in next Saturday’s Women’s March on Washington. “The threat of deportation is imminent for our communities,” said Cristina Jimenez, executive director of United We Dream.