Hoosiers protest immigration policy, demand family reunification at Indiana Statehouse
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — More than a thousand people gathered Saturday outside the Indiana Statehouse to demand the reunification of families separated under the Trump Administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy.
The rally in downtown Indianapolis was one of several hundred demonstrations across the country marking the “Families Belong Together” National Day of Action on June 30.
In addition to reunification, protesters called for due process in place of indefinite detention and an end to criminal prosecution of all undocumented migrants.
“I’m a mom of three young children, and I can’t imagine what these families are going through,” said Indianapolis resident Jeanne Rodriguez-Cerena. “We should have [immigrants] go through the right process but you can’t take the children away from their parents… That’s not what America is about. This is not the United States my husband signed up to join when he became an American citizen.”
Her 4-year-old son, Ace, stood beside her at the rally, holding a handmade poster that read “ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY.” Ace nodded when asked if he understood what had happened to other children his age whose parents entered the United States illegally.
“Bad people took them away,” he explained, adding he would be “sad” and “angry” if he and his mother were ever forcibly separated.
Kevin Hunter Kesling, another Indianapolis resident who brought his young son to the rally, wore a homemade shirt that read “I’M WHITE. I’M MALE. AND I VOTE TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER.” He said he dreaded explaining the federal government’s immigration policy to his children one day.
“We are basically creating internment camps,” he told News 8. “That’s disheartening. I’m trying to support the folks who have no voice in this debate.”
Organizers and protesters spoke out against forcible family separation and the seemingly long road to reunification, but voiced their support for a systematic path to citizenship.
“I’m not saying we should just let people in,” Rodriguez-Cerena clarified. “But there needs to be a policy in place that makes it easier for people to do the right thing.”
Local groups involved in sponsoring or organizing the rally include ACLU Indiana, AFSC Indiana, Faith in Indiana, Indianapolis PFLAG, Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance, Lawyers for Good Government, Answer Coalition, Muslim Alliance of Indiana, Muslim Youth Collective, Christ Church Cathedral, Exodus Refugee Services, MoveOn, Immigrant Welcome Center, Jewish Voice for Peace-Indiana and AVER Indy.