Activists demand Trump administration reunite families

Dozens of activists from across the Puget Sound, gathered together midday on a weekday to call out the Trump Administration for the horrifying treatment of immigrant and refugee families. 

Washington CAN joined other immigrant-rights organizations; Casa Latina, the Washington BUS and Westside Baby; with around 70 demonstrators to stand in front of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Tukwila. Activists placed thousands of children's shoes on the sidewalk to represent the thousands of children who were torn from their parents at the border. We called the demonstration: Ponte en Mis Zapatos (Put Yourself in My Shoes), and it was part of a weeklong series of protests calling out the Trump administration for their despicable family separation policy.

Several speakers told their stories of immigration and discrimination. We were particularly honored to support the children at the event who wanted to speak out to demand justice for their peers. 

Though the event was focused on a somber issue, we took space to celebrate childhood, because truly, that's what we are fighting for. The children separated at the border from their families deserve a nurturing childhood. We remembered this by watching some of the children perform a traditional dance. We will keep fighting until families are restored and this type of policy is replaced by humane practices that prioritize people and our communities.