Protests in the Wake of Trump’s New Ban

March 13, 2017 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

 

Last week there were important protests around the country against Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban 2.0. Below are scenes from some of them.

On March 10, Yemeni immigrant organizations in the U.S. called for protests against Trump’s Muslim ban. One hundred people rallied in Lackawanna, a town in Western New York State that is one-third first, second and third generation Yemeni-Americans. The rally was hosted by St. Anthony Church and included Jewish, Catholic, Baptist, and Episcopal faith leaders. Speakers called out the cruelty of prohibiting people coming to the U.S. from a country in an extreme crisis. Millions of people in Yemen face the prospect of severe famine and death due to the U.S.-Saudi-Arabian murderous air attacks, and war between reactionary forces. And speakers denounced the atmosphere of racism, and Islamophobic and anti-Semitic hate and violence that they connected to attitudes coming from the Trump administration.

In Chicago, people protested outside the ICE headquarters on March 6. “It’s still a ban on Muslims. You can dress it up however you want, but we’re very clear that singling out these Muslim countries is still a ban,” said Lawrence Benito, CEO of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights said at a protest at the downtown headquarters of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mary Meg McCarthy, executive director of the National Immigrant Justice Center, called the new ban “a continuation of the Trump administration’s smear campaign against refugees and asylum seekers.” A Mexican-American speaker condemned the ban and emphasized that this will not end with Muslims: “the message that was sent last week in terms of the new guidelines... [is also] that all Mexicans and people of Mexican ancestry should be suspect, and by the way all Central Americans too.” Hatem Abudayyeh, director of the Arab American Action Network, called for more protests: “It was the people in the streets, it was the people in the airports across the country that defeated (the initial ban).”

And in Chicago, the Council on American-Islamic Relations announced the Travelers Assistance Project, which will connect people traveling to the U.S. with more than 1,400 volunteer lawyers who will be in position to provide immediate pro bono legal assistance when people arrive in Chicago.

On March 7, hundreds rallied on the campus of Harvard University against the revised travel ban targeting visitors from majority Muslim countries. The Harvard Islamic Society, the Harvard Arab Students Association, and other student groups organized the Tuesday night rally at Harvard Square after Trump issued the new executive order.

On March 11, several dozen protesters rallied outside an immigration court in Atlanta. One was quoted on TV saying “I don’t want to live in a white Christian nation.” Another said, “this is part of a larger agenda that we’re working to stop.” Signs said, “Will trade racists for immigrants,” “No Hate, No Fear,” and Arabic and English signs with the message: “NO! In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America! Drive Out the Trump/Pence Regime!"

San Francisco: A March 10 protest against Trump’s Muslim Ban 2.0, led by #YemenisAGAINSTMuslimBan, marshaled a powerful presence from the local Yemeni community. Over 200 people met at City Hall for a press conference, including San Francisco elected officials, and an open-air Friday sermon (khutbah) and prayer service. Then a lively march took off chanting into the streets and marched to the Federal Building for a rally. Read more here

 

For full coverage and the current issue of REVOLUTION click here

Volunteers Needed... for revcom.us and Revolution

Send us your comments.

If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.