San Ysidro, CA – Protesters marched from Larsen Field in San Ysidro to the pedestrian border crossing Friday evening, July 12. The march was led by local Kumeyaay tribal elders, accompanied by the Brown Berets, and local immigrant rights and political organizations in demanding an immediate end to the Trump administration's refugee and immigrant concentration camps.

These camps have been the center of popular outrage, as many reports have surfaced of children being ripped away from their families, sexually assaulted and denied medical treatment. Some even died in custody or immediately following release. Several thousand people participated in the march, which stopped right in front of the crossing that leads right into Tijuana, Mexico. There, Kumeyaay tribal leaders held ceremonial dances and local activists gave poignant speeches enumerating the atrocities the Trump and past U.S. administrations have committed against indigenous peoples, immigrants and refugees.

The influx of asylum seekers – particularly from Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala – can be directly attributed to U.S. efforts to destabilize progressive governments and attack revolutionary movements across Latin America.

In the United States, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has been using insidious tactics in its war on oppressed nationalities. Once tactic has been scouring driver and motor vehicle databases in states that permit undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses, using facial recognition software to identify potential deportees.

Protesters that night chanted slogans like “Free the children! Free them now!” “Abolish ICE,” and “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here!” They also proudly displayed signs reading “Close the camps, free the fams,” “Prosecute Trump,” “Kids don't belong in cages” and “No more dead children!”

After speakers addressed the crowd, protesters marched back to Larsen field and the action ended around 10:30 p.m.

#SanYsidroCA #OppressedNationalities #US #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #legalizationForAll #DonaldTrump #AbolishICE #concentrationCamps