People throughout the United States gathered in communities and cities around the country to protest the separation and detention of asylum-seeking families. The largest one was held in Washington, DC. The one I attended was on the other side of the country at one of the Federal Detention Centers where adults, but not their children, have been sent to. This detention center is located just south of the Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport. Thousands of people came out to protest the US Department of Justice’s “Zero Tolerance” policy of separating children from their parents when the parents attempt to cross our borders seeking asylum.
People were passionate and peaceful. The following shows our thoughts in pictures and words. I posted some of these pictures on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. My thoughts were attached to those pictures. The rest I believe speak for themselves. Here’s my photo gallery of the day.
Heading to the Rally
Due to the expected crowds and lack of parking near the Federal Detention Center, we parked at the north end of Seattle at the University of Washington. This is the northern terminus of the Seattle Light Rail line. Angle Lake is the southern terminus of the the rail line and is located about 2 blocks from the detention center.
Selfie of my twin sister and myself on the Seattle Light Rail heading to the #BringFamiliesTogetherMarch at Angle Lake south of SeaTac, WA.
The Crowds
The light rail train we were on had standing room only when we arrived.
- The Federal Detention Center at Angle Lake just south of SeaTac, WA. This ominous structure with the slit-like windows was what loomed over us as we stepped off the train.
There were police everywhere but the road was open. People kept coming; the crowd continued to grow. Several times the speakers asked people to “slowly move forward and south” so that more people could enter the area. By the time we left we could see why…
The police closed the road at the Federal Detention Center due to the 1000’s of people who came out to say #enddetentionnow, #bringfamiliestogether, #FreedomForImmigrants and #EndFamilySeparation at one of several #FamiliesBelongTogetherMarch in the Seattle area. – at Federal Detention Center (from my Twitter feed).
The Police Presence
They were everywhere. At the train station. Standing on the street. In their cars. On the rooftops. All in uniform. I didn’t “see” any in the crowd within the rally site, but I did assume they were there in civilian clothing.
It was a bit overwhelming. My thoughts about the police presence were expressed with this photo:
Is this what we have come to here in the US?! Asylum is a human right. SHAME! #enddetentionnow #KeepFamilesTogether – at Federal Detention Center (as posted on my twitter feed).
Only about a 1,000 people had been expected to show up for the rally. Yet, we came in droves. According to Sgt. Cindy Sampson, spokesperson for the King County Sheriff’s Office, police estimated that there were around 10,000 demonstrators. She told the Seattle Times that we we showed up for a highly emotional, but peaceful, demonstration full of strollers, grandmothers and a small contingent from the Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club.” [This Gun Club, according to the Seattle Times, is an “anti-racist, anti-fascist organization, standing in opposition to organized white supremacists and attacks on people from vulnerable communities”]
What We Had to Say
According to NPR, between May and June 19, 2018, a estimated total 2,342 immigrant children have been separated from their parents. These children are scattered across 17 states. And their parents have been scattered elsewhere. One of these separated families is known to be detained at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac where we demonstrated. According to the New York Times, Jelsin Padilla is being held in New York City. His mom, Yolany Padilla, is being detained at the Federal Detention Center in Washington State. She hasn’t seen her son in over a month.
Ms. Padilla is one of over 200 immigrants —174 are women — detained as of June 19 in Washington state. We came by the thousands to say “no more; this incarceration and separation of families must end and end now!
Here’s the postcard letter I wrote to Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) calling upon him to use his powers in the Senate to end these torturous incarcerations and separations of families:
Letter to Senator Bob Casey calling for the permanent ending of the detention of children and their family members. This postcard letter was written onsite at the Federal Detention Center and will be hand-delivered to Senator Casey’s office by an organization called #FreedomForFamilies.
Many, many others wrote similar messages:
And so that you can see what else was said, the following pictures and social ,media postings will give you a flavor of our outrage.
My Social Media Postings Calling on the US Government to End this “Zero Tolerance” Policy
Instagram Posts
tostivasey Stop Terrorizing Immigrant Children. #keepfamiliestogether #enddetentionnow #bringfamiliestogether #endfacism
tostivasey This little girl and her mother and sister say it all, “Keep Family Together.” Separating immigrant kids from their parents and other family members is a criminal act. #enddetentionnow #keepfamiliestogether❤
tostivasey #WhereAreTheBabies?! The shoes of the babies need to be put on their feet by their mothers and fathers and their sisters and brothers. Babies are innocent kids and should NEVER be used as pawns. #enddetentionnow #bringfamiliestogether
tostivasey Separating Children from their families is nothing less than #ChildAbuse and #torture. Call your representatives, Senators, @jeffsessions212, #DHS, & @realdonaldtrump. Ask them #wherearethebabies And Tell them to #enddetentionnow #bringfamiliestogether.
Tweets
@tostivasey #EndFamilyDetention #FamiliesBelongTogther #FamiliesBelongTogetherMarch. @realDonaldTrump, #WhereAreTheBabies?
Joanne Tosti-Vasey added,
@tostivasey “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.” No more separation and detention. #bringfamiliestogether#EndDetentionNow!
Quote from New Colossus (aka the Statue of Liberty) with the words that are engraved at the base of the statue. My previous blog on Lady Liberty is about immigration as well.
Signage Expressing Our Outrage at this Maltreatment of Our Fellow Human Beings
Messages without Words
Why We March
Why Now?
What Should Be Done to End this Outrage
NOW IT’S Your turn! If you are in the Seattle Area, here’s some additional actions you can take this week:
If you’re elsewhere in the country, do as the sign says above and call
- The White House (202-456-1111);
- The Executive Branch departments that are causing this crisis
- Health and Human Services (202-690-7000);
- Department of Justice (202-353-1555);
- Department of Homeland Security (202-282-8995); and
- Your federal legislators (202-224-3121)
Tell them
- Families Belong Together
- Stop Separating Familes
- End Family Detention
- Stop Torturing Children
- End this fascist behavior. We are better than this (or should be).
- Get rid of the “Zero Tolerance” Policy
Civil Rights Advocacy 