Demonstrators gathered Friday afternoon to protest the recent separation of families by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
The protesters hit the street at noon at Mount Elliott Street in Detroit and will continue through the afternoon.
Organizers say the "U.S. is traumatizing children by ripping them away from their families to be held in concentration camps and tent cities and then trafficked through adoption agencies or worse."
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump reversed his argument that he had no authority to stop separations of undocumented immigrant families at the border, and signed an order to keep parents and kids together.
The protesters acknowledge the President's reversal, but urge the public to "not be fooled."
Organizers say "While this is movement in the right direction, do not be fooled by what this order does."
They listed these points:
- Families will not be immediately separated, but they will be held in detention together.
- Crossing the border “illegally” will no longer be deemed a civil violation, it will be deemed a criminal violation.
- Because it is a criminal violation the parents will be charged criminally. At that point, their children will be forcibly taken.
- The Executive Order will provide a provision that families will be expedited through the criminal process. This means that the removal of their children will be expedited.
The chances of the bill passing are unclear as is the case with any bill dealing with the volatile issue of immigration. The fact that it includes fundamental changes to the legal immigration system means its chances in the Senate are even more uncertain.
