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Posted on 07/19/2014 8:13:22 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Protests are being staged all over the United States this weekend in response to the Central American immigration crisis, which some critics are calling an "invasion."
The protests are divided among critics and supporters, with pro-immigration activists staging counterprotests at many of the demonstrations. Hundreds of demonstrations are set to take place across the nation, with activists demonstrating as far from the border as Pennsylvania and Washington State.
Anti-immigration protesters held a demonstration outside of the Mexican consulate on Friday in Philadephia, while pro-immigration activists held a counterprotest asking for more lenient treatment for the affected youth, according to reports.
“The people have been silent for too long,” said Margaret Adelsburger, a protester and member of the Pennsylvanians for Immigration Control and Enforcement. “We’ve been invaded. It’s a war.”
A number of other protests took place on Friday, and many more were scheduled for Saturday.
A handful of anti-immigration groups -- American Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, Overpasses for America, and Make Them Listen -- are organizing the protests, arguing that the current administration has not had a vested interest in securing the nation's borders.
These groups claim that the lack of strict immigration policy has fueled the influx of Central American children, which are set to break record numbers during the 2014 fiscal year.
A number of pro-immigration groups are speaking out against the protests, stating that the poverty and violence in the immigrants' homelands is driving them toward American borders.
"Our goal is to unify Americans of every race, political party and walk of life against this Obama-inspired invasion of our American homeland," Paul Gheen, president of the South Carolina-based ALIPAC, told Mashable.
"They make more money this way, they have more control of the government this way — there's a constellation of power groups working to support the invasion of illegal immigration," said Gheen.
A protest will aslo be held in Iowa in the name of a 93-year-old woman who died after being raped and beaten by an undocumented immigrant, according to Mashable.
Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King, one of Congress’ most staunch immigration critics, is expected to speak at that rally.
The protests come on the heels of a number of protests against the relocation of Central American immigrants, who are being transported to areas across the nation to alleviate facility crowding in Texas.
Protesters in Murrieta, California have blocked roads and forced buses filled with immigrants to turn around and reroute to San Diego or other nearby facilities. Other states have vowed the same actions if immigrants are sent to their facilities.
Vocal supporters of reform have also spoken out in recent weeks -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said that the nation should "welcome" and "help" immigrants, and that his state will take the Central American children.
Staunch conservatives like Glen Beck and Ted Cruz have also chimed in with support for the immigrant children, urging the nation to show compassion.
More than 90,000 undocumented immigrant children are expected to cross U.S. borders this year, the highest number the nation has seen.
Somebody must be listening. There were protests on two of our local freeway bridges today.
Today we march! Tomorrow we vote!!! (Stolen from the al-Raza jihadis) Send the invaders home! America is not a “refugee” camp! It’s my home!!!
Is this going to explode? Will this bring on the “American Spring”?
‘Bridgegate’, if that really was a scandal, is nothing compared to what this will do to cash-strapped NJ.
I notice Gov Christie never seems to have enough hugs for obama.
APATHY does not care....
Bttt
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