Full families challenge U.S.-Mexico border with mass reentry
As an increasing number of immigrant justice groups move beyond legislative reform, mass, family-led direct actions become the new face of migrant movement.
Any day now, President Obama, whom immigrant groups call the “deporter in chief,” will make history by surpassing the two million mark — separating two million families through deportation during the course of his administration’s five-year reign.
In response, today migrant families are making history of their own.
This afternoon, 250 migrants, who have lived in the United States most of their lives, are attempting to reenter the country after being deported. Many entire families are returning, while others are coming to rejoin family members still living in the United States. The group is chanting “undocumented and unafraid” as they cross through the U.S. portal that separates Tijuana from San Diego. This action, part of the #not1more campaign, marks the third mass border crossing organized by the National Immigrant Youth Alliance. The action comes as immigrant justice groups are increasingly moving beyond advocating for legislative reform and are instead turning to direct action to protest the record deportations. The group says that these actions are calling attention to the immigration crisis and the way millions of families are separated by an arbitrary boarder.
Last year, 150,000 U.S.- born children were separated from at least one parent. The majority were under the age of 10. One of these stories is that of Manuel, who spent 10 years living in Ohio with his U.S.-born children and wife. According to the National Immigrant Youth Alliance’s Facebook page, “Manuel was placed in deportation proceedings after he hired an immigration attorney who he later found out was a fraud.”
All 250 families participating in today’s action have lived in the United States for a large portion of their lives, creating homes and community in this country.
Click here to watch the border crossing protest live.
Why would they be allowed to cross back into the US. They are illegal they have no rights in this Country. They broke the law. Find the rest of their families and send them back too. All illegals should be removed from the US by any means necessary. They have already cost tax payers billions. If they think the US is all that then go through the proper channels to enter.