Colorado Politics

2nd protest held in Colorado Springs over separation of families at the border

Around 400 people gathered Saturday outside City Hall in Colorado Springs, chanting, “It is our duty to fight for freedom” and “We must love and support one another,” in the second protest in the past two weekends over the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“These families are never going to forget these moments,” said Rasheda Mohammed, whose father was deported when she was 13.

Saturday’s rally was among more than 700 around the country protesting the separation of children from their parents when they are arrested for crossing the border illegally. Hundreds of thousands marched in demonstrations, including at border crossings in Texas and at President Donald Trump’s golf resort in New Jersey, where he was spending the weekend with his family.

The outcry against the “zero tolerance” immigration policy announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in April has been going on for months, forcing the administration to halt separating children from their parents when the adults are arrested for crossing the border illegally. President Trump signed an executive order ending family separations June 20, but more than 2,000 children have yet to be reunited with their families and remain in detention centers or with foster homes, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“It’s just really frustrating to sit at home and watch the news,” said Kate Crandall, who attended Saturday’s rally with her husband, Mike. “There’s all these horrible things happening, and I think the biggest thing is you want to say you got out and did something.”

Protesters carried signs with slogans reading “Where are the babies?” in English and Spanish.

A handful wore Army green jackets and shirts with, “I really do care, don’t u?” painted in white across their backs, a reference to first lady Melania Trump having worn a similar jacket inscribed with “I really don’t care, do u?” when she visited detained immigrant children in Texas.

As cars drove along Nevada Avenue, drivers honked their horns, which attendee Sharon Friedman said she was happy to hear.

“I’m happy that people are here, I’m happy that people are resisting,” Friedman said. “It’s very uplifting. It gives me hope, and I need hope going forward.”

Families hold signs at an immigration rally outside of the Colorado Springs City Hall building on June 30, 2018.
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Haley C

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