NEWBURGH – Opponents of President Trump’s immigration policy protested Friday afternoon outside the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in Newburgh.
Dutchess Legislator Joel Tyner among the organizers
Families protested family separation
Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner (D, Rhinebeck/Clinton) and the group Working Class Dutchess protested the recent federal immigration policy of separating undocumented immigrant children from families and called for the overall abolishment of ICE.
“There was real disrespect for immigrants when Donald Trump was running for office, and things have gotten worse,” Tyner said. “There were children being separated from their parents before, but not on this level.”
Speakers included Orange County Legislator Kevindaryan Lujan (D, Newburgh) and Beacon City Councilwoman Jodi McCredo (Ward 3). Both are seeking the Democratic nominate for the New York State Assembly District 104 seat.
Lujan shared his personal story, as his grandmother immigrated to the United States from Colombia with his mother.
“My grandmother came here with nothing,” Lujan said. “That’s what the American dream is about, coming here leaving everything you know and being part of a change.” His mother came to the US when she was 10, went to school here, got her masters’ and law degrees here, he said.
“It’s absurd that this is happening in 2018,” added McCredo. “No human being should ever have to be afraid to do any of the basic things everyone else takes for granted.”
City of Newburgh resident Jennifer Rawlison attended with her children and spoke on the humanitarian nature of the issue.
“We have to look at who we want to be as neighbors and think about how our own town can change drastically,” Rawlison said.
Similar rallies are being Saturday by Families Belong Together across the country, including in New Paltz, Beacon, Rhinebeck, Monticello and Kingston. For more information, visit https://act.moveon.org/event/families-belong-together_attend1/search/.
The idea of abolishing ICE has caught steam from Democratic progressives since the issue of separating immigrant families from children gained traction. Local activist and former congressional candidate Zephyr Teachout, current New York gubernatorial candidate and award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon and recent Democratic nominee for the District 14 congressional seat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have all called for the agency’s abolishment as a result of its responsibility in mass deportations and separating families under President Trump.
