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Thousands gather for 'Families Belong Together' rally in Denver

Posted at 5:48 PM, Jun 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-30 20:03:52-04

DENVER -- More than a dozen Colorado cities participated in “Families Belong Together” rallies on Saturday. Thousands of people gathered at a demonstration in Civic Center Park and marched into downtown Denver to join countless other cities who did the same across the U.S.

The national protests are in response to the newest policy from the Trump administration putting immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers who cross the border illegally in jail, separating them from their children.

"Here in Colorado we have seen family separations happen because of immigration and customs enforcement for a long time,” said Juan Gallegos, Executive Director of Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) Action Fund. “Separation of families should never be the price for somebody being here trying to strive in our communities.”

The Trump Administration is pushing Congress to increase the budget for ICE and border patrol. The demonstrators at Saturday’s rallies are pushing back.

“This is just wrong,” said rally attendee and Aurora resident Sheryl Nelton. “Watching these children beg for their papa and mama to come get them and they don’t have anything to tell them because they don’t know why or when or how they are ever going to see their kids again.”

President Trump stopped his policy of taking children from their detained parents under public pressure, but at least 2,000 children are still being held.

President Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon in response to the rallies saying, "When people come into our Country illegally, we must IMMEDIATELY escort them back out without going through years of legal maneuvering. Our laws are the dumbest anywhere in the world. Republicans want Strong Borders and no Crime. Dems want Open Borders and are weak on Crime!”