Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 protesters took the street Sunday afternoon, October 29, in response to the Biden administration’s recently-announced plan to waive 26 federal laws in order to extend the border wall further into southern Texas. Several organizations joined together to protest the “Trump-like” policies in response to immigration.

In addition to continuing the militarization of the U.S./Mexico border, the waived laws include environmental protection policies and the defense of native burial sites. Protesters spoke to the importance of acting for the environment.

MIRAC member Montana Hirsch said, “This is an outrageous attack on immigrants, native people, and the environment. Millions of people trusted Biden and voted for him when he promised to stop building Trump’s wall during his 2020 election campaign. We demand he keep his promise and reverse this decision. The U.S./México border is already one of the most militarized and deadly borders in the world. We need to end militarization of the border now!”

Speakers from the Anti-War Committee made the connection between border walls in the U.S. as well as across the globe in Gaza. Protesters shouted, “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go!”

Pablo Tapia of Asamblea de Derechos Civiles spoke about the history of the U.S./Mexico border wall. He pointed out the pain caused by the expansion of the U.S. border in the 1800s to take over around half of Mexico.

Rachel Thunder-Dionne of Indigenous Protector Movement continued this point saying, “These borders, these invisible lines formed by colonizers, those didn’t exist for us. We didn’t cross those borders, those borders crossed us.” She spoke to the struggle that it took in order to have the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act, which Biden has waived in order to continue construction of the border wall.

Protesters encouraged supporters to call the White House in opposition of the executive order to extend the U.S./Mexico border.

The event was initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights and Action Committee (MIRAC) and held in collaboration with the Indigenous Protector Movement (IPM) and Climate Justice Committee (CJC).

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