Dozens of immigrant families protested Saturday behind the fences of a Texas detention facility where a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father were sent this week after being detained in Minnesota.
Aerial photos taken by The Associated Press showed children and parents at the South Texas Family Residential Center clad in jackets and sweaters, some of them holding signs that included Libertad para los niños, or Liberty for the kids.
Families could also be heard outside chanting Libertad! or Let us go, said Eric Lee, an immigration attorney who was there to visit a client at the facility in the town of Dilley.
Maria Alejandra Montoya Sanchez, a participant in the protest, emphasized the importance of treating immigrants with dignity, stating, We’re immigrants, with children, not criminals.
The detention of Liam Conejo Ramos and his father has ignited fierce debate over immigration policies under the current administration, with conflicting accounts emerging from officials and the family’s representatives regarding their treatment.
Earlier Saturday, tensions escalated in Minneapolis following a deadly incident involving a federal immigration officer, prompting widespread protests against current enforcement practices.
Montoya Sanchez recounted her time at the protest, witnessing the father and son briefly, while conditions inside the detention facility remain harsh, according to reports of inadequate food and medical care.
The courage shown by these families highlights the desperate need for reform and humane treatment within our immigration system, attorney Eric Lee commented.
As the public continues to demand change, immigrant families like those at the Dilley detention center express their ongoing struggles against an increasingly polarized immigration debate.
