Mid-Hudson “Grannies and Grandpas” return to southern border to protest separation of families

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print

BEACON – Six residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley are traveling to Brownsville, Texas this weekend to protest the separation of families on the Mexican border.

The local retired teachers and social workers, who formed “Grannies and Grandpas” in response to the detention of separated families in 2018, believe the current US policy of Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) – where people seeking asylum must stay in Mexico until a court decides if they may enter – is “inhumane and immoral.”

Retired teacher Valerie Carlisle of Pleasant Valley is leading the contingent of local residents in the Reunited Migrant Families effort. “This is our main impetus of going forward to start this action of witnessing what is happening with the MPP policy. The people are living in tents, whether it’s cold or hot or raining. The cartels are kidnapping people, raping women, beating people; it’s very dangerous for the people there,” she said.

Valerie Carlisle

During their weeklong trip, the group plans to assist at the Catholic Charities Respite Center in McAllen and La Posada Providencia in San Benito where many asylum seekers from Africa, Central America and Cuba are awaiting a final destination.




Popular Stories