Trump immigration stance sparks protests
WASHINGTON — Protesters gathered Saturday to support immigrant rights at rallies around the U.S., denouncing President-elect Donald Trump for his antiimmigrant rhetoric and 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, DMd., told a standing-roomonly crowd at a historic African-American church in downtown Washington during one of dozens of rallies around the nation.
“We are a nation for all people, regardless of religion, regardless of background, regardless of who you love.”
Weekend rallies or cultural events were held or planned in Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Jose, Calif., and elsewhere.
Saturday’s events took place — despite rain and cold weather — as marchers filled several blocks in Washington as they rallied in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day march that was at times also a rally against Trump.
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton had organized Saturday’s “We Shall Not Be Moved” march ahead of Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
Participants in Washington’s immigrant rights rally, meanwhile, carried signs with messages including “Resist Trump’s Hate.”
“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.
The Washington crowd urged Trump and Congress not to undo the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, aimed at helping people like Kim who were brought to the country as children.
Many participants in Washington on Saturday said they would keep the pressure on Trump and 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 and one of the rally’s organizers.