Grannies protest Donald Trump's immigration policy with 2000-mile roadtrip to the US-Mexico border
A group of self-proclaimed "grannies" has decided to travel 2,000 miles across the country to the US-Mexico border to protest against President Donald Trump's controversial immigration policies. According to organizer Roya Salehi, the group reportedly assimilated through Facebook where a few "grannies" and "grampies" shared their outrage against the government's immigration policies, CBS News reported.
The "Grannies Respond" activists reportedly began their six-day road trip to McAllen, Texas on Tuesday in New York City's Union Square, according to the WCBS Newsradio. Reports state that the nearly two dozen activists will make seven stops along their route and will hold demonstrations and vigils in each city to protest Trump administration's immigration policies, which led to separation of many families at the border.
Separation of families at the United States-Mexico border came under severe scrutiny by activists, lawmakers and human rights organization across the world. The separation was a part of President Donald Trump's "zero-tolerance" policy associated with the crackdown on immigration in the country.
The family separation policy was announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in May. Under the policy, Trump administration separated children away from their parents, who illegally enter the country, and then handed them over to the Department of Health and Human Services for reallocation.
After severe backlash, President Trump, in June, signed an executive order to end the administration's family separation policy. However, out of over 2,500 children who were separated earlier this year from their parents and guardians, nearly hundreds remain in federal custody. This number also includes over 400 children whose parents have already left the country without them, according to reports.
Reports state that the caravan of grannies will make its final stop in the nation's largest immigration facility on August 6. The group of activists is set to hold a 24-hour demonstration there.
Salehi, while speaking from a rally on the steps of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg said: "At the end of the day, we want to be sure people are aware of what's happening. We wanted to get attention and have people talking ... We could not sit passively."
Salehi added that the group's agenda is to deliberately travel to places in the country where people are not discussing the issue of immigration and family separation.
The activists have reportedly started a national grassroots movement through the formulation of their caravan as similar caravans are forming in Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, Oregon and Florida, among other states. All these caravans are aiming to move towards the US-Mexico border to express their outrage against the Republican leader's policies.