Immigration activists hold rallies across Central Coast over child separations

Immigration activists held at least four rallies across the Central Coast on Thursday to protest policies coming out of Washington that separate children from families crossing the U.S. border illegally.

They came to Watsonville’s City Plaza and Windows on the Bay in Monterey. There were also two rallies in Salinas at the opposite ends of town, one on North Main Street and Boronda and the other on South Main Street and Blanco.

Protesters were passionate and adamant, accusing the Trump administration of “cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers.”

“I think it’s important to know that families are being separated,” said Rosa Gonzalez, an activist with the Immigration Task Force who participated in the rally on North Main and Boronda in Salinas.

The Trump administration’s zero tolerance policy allows border patrol agents to separate children from their families trying to cross the border illegally.

President Trump blames democrats for what he calls a “horrible law.” But others say there is no such law that forces children to be separated.

“We’re hear definitely to support the immigrants that are coming and they’re being split from the parents, the kids (are),” said Ricardo Nunez, who works for the United Farm Workers Foundation. “We are really aware of that situation happening. And we know that situation is definitely illegal.”

Some protesters wore yellow bands. They say it is similar to the ones worn by the children detained.

“It’s the fact that they’re being separated and not being allowed to be together,” said Gonzalez. “Even if they’re being picked up by the border patrols, they’re still separated.”

CBS News reports between May 6 and May 19, over 600 adults were detained for illegally crossing the border. All of them were separted from the children they brought along – 658 kids in total. Part of the reason is that children cannot be held in adult jails.

“The children need to have a voice to back them up and we’re the voice. We’re the voice of the people. We have to stand up for those children who are missing, the children that are being separated from their parents,” said Olga Reyna, an activist who participated in the rally on South Main Street and Blanco in Salinas. “It should not be happening and it is not right.”