Local Activists Protest At Phoenix ICE Headquarters As Trump Decision On DACA Looms
With the threat of a lawsuit to end the program looming, President Donald Trump will soon have to decide the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
Local activists celebrated the fifth anniversary of DACA weeks ago. Now, with the program reportedly on the chopping block, they say that joy has turned to fear of sudden deportation.
A coalition of groups plans to hold daily protests outside ICE headquarters in Phoenix, and demand the government protect young immigrants. Activists like Reyna Montoya want fellow Dreamers to join them.
“I know it’s really scary to think about coming to ICE where they can actually deport you,” said Montoya, founder of the local organization Aliento. “But we have to confront our fears and we cannot let them paralyze us. And even if our bodies shake and tremble, we have to move forward.”
The protests are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sept. 1. Organizers have called on artists, clergy and the community at large to join them.
