Downtown rally for immigrants, families
With Congress leaving for Easter recess before passing an immigration bill, nearly 75 protesters from the immigrant community said Friday that 20,000 more families will be broken up during the 18day break because of deportation.
“They’re going on recess, they’re taking time off to be with their families, and we’re asking them to think about what’s going on here today,” said Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30th). “Think about what’s been going on in the several years, for 20,000 individuals, families that’ll be broken up.”
Monica Trevino, communications director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which put on Friday’s event, said the group came up with the number of families that would be affected during the break by using Immigration and Customs Enforcement data that states there are 1,100 deportations a day and multiplying that figure by the 18 days Congress will be away to arrive at 20,000 families.
Protesters congregated outside the office of Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) at 230 S. Dearborn, calling on the senator to stand up for them and their families during current immigration talk that they think could leave them worse off.
Kirk’s office did not return phone calls for comment.
Nineteen of the protesters — including Aldermen Reboyras, Joe Moreno (1st) and Danny Solis (25th) — were ticketed for blocking traffic on Dearborn and refusing to move when police intervened, according to police.