Hundreds of people attended the protest, which was sponsored by the Youth Caucus of America and Refuse Fascism. Many in the crowd said they were disgusted by recent reports describing asylum-seeking families being torn apart as a component of the White House’s hardline immigration policies.
Federico Garcia, an organizer with Refuse Fascism, said President Donald Trump’s past descriptions of immigrants — including calling them “animals — underscores the fact his administration views those seeking asylum in the U.S. as less than human.
“These are human beings,” Garcia said. “These are crimes against humanity, and it’s everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re living in a border town or whether you’re living in a big city like New York, everyone needs to stand up and draw the line and stop accommodating fascism.”
In recent days, disturbing images and audio — including photos of chain-link structures at holding locations and a recording of other children sobbing and crying out for their parents at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility — have galvanized both sides of the political aisle to push back on the policy.
Prominent conservatives, including former first lady Laura Bush and influential evangelist Franklin Graham, have spoken out against the immigration policy in recent days. Meanwhile, recent polls show the family separation policy has the potential to damage vulnerable congressional Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
