Family Separations At The Border: Wisconsin Protests On June 30

WISCONSIN — A nationwide demonstration opposing the Trump administration's policy of separating migrant families crossing the southwestern U.S. border is planned for June 30, and "sister" events will also be held in Wisconsin.

As part of the administration's "zero tolerance" approach to illegal immigration, children are being separated from their families at the border while the parents are held for prosecution.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington, announced the date of the protest on the MSNBC show "All In With Chris Hayes" Monday night. The main protest will be held right outside the White House on Lafayette Square at 11 a.m., Jayapal said.

Family Separations At The Border: How You Can Help

Similar protests in cities around the country have already been announced in at least 41 states, including Wisconsin. "Families Belong Together" events are scheduled for these locations, according to MoveOn.org.

Appleton: Saturday, June 30 at 1 p.m., Houdini Plaza Appleton, Wis. 54911

Green Bay: Saturday, June 30 at 10 a.m., Green Bay CityDeck Green Bay, WI 54301

Madison: Saturday, June 30 at 3 p.m., State Capitol, State St. Entrance, Madison, WI 53703

Milwaukee: Saturday, June 30 at 1 p.m., 517 E Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202

Oshkosh: Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m., Main Street Sundial Oshkosh, WI 54901

Stevens Point: Saturday, June 30 at noon, Division St., Stevens Point, WI 54481

The Trump administration has come under intense criticism from advocates, lawmakers and citizens for the policy of separating migrant children from their families. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that nearly 2,000 children had been separated at the border over the period beginning April 19 and ending in May.

The children are being housed in detention facilities that have been compared to internment camps. Many lawmakers have marched to these facilities to try and get a look at how these immigrant children are being housed. U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat from Texas, led a group of protesters to one such facility in south Texas on Father's Day. Another such facility is in Brownsville, Texas, where DHS officials arranged for reporters to tour the premises.

Jacob Soboroff, a reporter at MSNBC who toured the facility, said the some 1,500 boys living there have under 40 square feet of living space each and said the facility felt like a prison or a jail.

In chilling audio obtained by ProPublica that was recorded at a CBP facility, children can be heard crying for their parents.

The Trump administration has stood by the policy and while President Donald Trump has falsely blamed the Democrats for the separations, Stephen Miller, a senior policy advisor to Trump, told The New York Times it was a "simple decision by the administration" to have a zero-tolerance policy for illegal border crossings. At an intense press briefing on Monday, the secretary of homeland security, Kirstjen Nielsen, defended the policy. (You can see an analysis of Nielsen's defense put together by The Washington Post.)

Meanwhile, Democrats have introduced a bill that would end family separations but so far the bill does not have the support of any Republicans. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, has said he will introduce his own legislation to end family separations and on Tuesday, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said all Republican senators support putting an end to family separations at the border.

Image via Shutterstock

By Feroze Dhanoa, Patch National Staff