Thousands of people across the country are participating in Saturday’s “Families Belong Together” marches to protest the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy that has led to family separations at the border.
MoveOn, one of the chief organizers of the event, writes: “On June 30, we’re rallying in Washington, D.C., and around the country to tell Donald Trump and his administration to permanently end the separation of kids from their parents. End family internment camps. End the ‘zero-humanity’ policy that created this crisis. And reunify the children with their parents.”
TPM’s Alice Ollstein was present at the D.C rally.
Thousands of people are out in the 90+ degree heat to protest immigrant family separations. Right now they’re playing the audio @ProPublica obtained of children sobbing in detention. #familiesbelongtogether pic.twitter.com/TxHGh0C7JP
— Alice Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) June 30, 2018
Some signs at the #FamiiesBelongTogether rally in front of the White House pic.twitter.com/0hrvhD1T3E
— Alice Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) June 30, 2018
At one point, kids read aloud their letters to immigrant children who’ve been torn from their parents. “You are not alone,” said one girl. “And if you ever feel alone, just think of me and all the other people in the world that want to help you and your family get back together.”
"There are good people who are going to help you find your families again." At immigration rally in Washington, D.C., children read letters they've written to kids separated from their parents. https://t.co/llsV03JpOs pic.twitter.com/cb7ixi0hLC
— CNN (@CNN) June 30, 2018
Rallies were also held in other cities across the nation.
Good morning from San Francisco. ? Keep families together. No family detention. No zero tolerance policy. #FamiliesBelongTogetherMarch pic.twitter.com/8q07VivD3A
— Gabe #DreamActNow Ortíz (@TUSK81) June 30, 2018
This protester in Chicago describes what's happening with the immigration debate as "a battle for the soul of the country" https://t.co/s8p9kXra8F pic.twitter.com/pHTn5rucsG
— CNN (@CNN) June 30, 2018
Hey, hey! This March in ATL is looonnggggg. #FamiliesBelongTogetherMarch pic.twitter.com/TM1Z5hjp2K
— Margot Paez ?? (@vansgirl12) June 30, 2018
Louisville #FamiliesBelongTogether now underway! pic.twitter.com/y2l5ka3xFM
— ACLU of Kentucky (@ACLUofKY) June 30, 2018
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) made an appearance at the Boston march, while Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) attended the one in Los Angeles.
Glad to be at the Boston #FamiliesBelongTogetherMarch & be in the fight with thousands of people in MA & across the country to stop @realDonaldTrump’s appalling immigration policy. pic.twitter.com/oYFc92TDfy
— Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) June 30, 2018
"We are better than this. We are better than having these detention centers that are prisons," says Sen. Kamala Harris at the Families Belong Together rally in Los Angeles. https://t.co/s5VHotCcgS pic.twitter.com/1JmBHivC7U
— CNN (@CNN) June 30, 2018
After widespread backlash to the family separation policy, President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to stop the separations.
However, over 2,000 migrant children remain separated from their families in detention centers, and toddlers as young as three years old are being forced go to deportation court proceedings alone.
Heading off to Irvine, California now…
Just got back from the Chicago march. It was inspiring!
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. One attendee said he counted nine negative responses in two hours. There must have been hundreds of positive ones, maybe even a thousand or more. This country made a mistake but most of us know you don’t take people’s children away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUOgze_KC10More good news
I didn’t even know he had a show on MSNBC because no cable here.
Good.