Politics & Government
Protesters Will Rally For Immigration Rights In Union County
Pro-immigration rallies will take place in Elizabeth and Westfield on Thursday to oppose President Trump's deportation order and ICE Raids.
WESTFIELD, NJ — Immigrant residents and activists from Union County are fighting for justice as they hold rallies on Thursday in Elizabeth and Westfield.
Two protest will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23:
- 11 a.m. at the Elizabeth Detention Center at 625 Evans Street in Elizabeth
- 1:30 p.m at Rep Lance's Westfield Office 25 North Avenue East in Westfield
The protests, organized by Make the Road New Jersey,are being held in response to raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Elizabeth.
Find out what's happening in Westfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
An emergency rally was held in Elizabeth on Monday night as result of an ICE raid on Friday.
Find out what's happening in Westfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Protests are also being held as a result of President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order that was issued in January halting immigration from several countries with large Muslim populations.
Trump’s initial order banned immigrants from several countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen — from entering the United States for 90 days. The order, which also halted the U.S. refugee program for 120-days, is aimed at stopping “radical Islamic terrorists,” Trump had said.
Protests were held in January following Trump's order.
The rally on Thursday in Elizabeth will protest "against Trump's deportation machine and demand for an end to the raids."
The rally in Westfield will call upon Rep. Leonard Lance to oppose immigration raids and the expansion of private detention centers.
"We must stand together to reject a politics of hate that divides us and strikes fear into the heart of so many immigrant families here in Union County and Elizabeth," Make the Road NJ stated.
For more information on Make the Road NJ or the rallies visit www.maketheroadnj.org or on Facebook and Twitter @MaketheRoadNJ.
(Image via Make the Road New Jersey)
Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.
Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
