Minneapolis protest says ‘don’t deport Central American children’
Minneapolis, MN – 100 people gathered at Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue to demand that President Obama stop deporting the tens of thousands of Central American refugee children who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border this year. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).
Chanting “Hey Obama what do you say, stop deporting kids today!” and “Obama, escucha, estamos en la lucha!,” the protesters gathered at the busy intersection in the heart of the Latino community then marched several blocks down Lake Street at rush hour. Many cars passing by honked to show their support.
This year more than 50,000 young Central Americans have fled the deep poverty and violence in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, heading north for the U.S. border. The deep problems in these countries are rooted in decades of U.S. policies of war, militarization, free trade, mass deportation and drug wars. The plight of these children has gripped the conscience of millions of people in the U.S. as images have spread of thousands of kids being held in poor conditions packed in detention centers after risking their lives crossing the desert. Yet the politicians are still focused on counterproductive policies like further militarizing the border, building more detention facilities, and expediting the deportation of children back to dangerous situations.
Protesters demanded that President Obama provide these children with protection, family reunification and legal status, not detention and deportation.
