Immigration activists block entry into Canada from Detroit ahead of Democratic debate
The second night of Democratic debates at Detroit's Fox Theatre brought a second evening of protests outside its doors. After activists marched Tuesday demanding the candidates' attention to climate change, Wednesday night's protest, led by Movimiento Cosecha, demanded the candidates "commit to ending all [immigrant] detention and deportation on day one."
Championing immigrant rights, marchers make their way from Hart Plaza toward Fox Theatre before night 2 of #DemDebates. pic.twitter.com/6K0o2Gu6r3
— Kelly Rissman (@KellyRissman) July 31, 2019
We’re in Detroit w @CosechaMovement taking action against Trump’s detentions+ deportations.
From Nellie:
“Tonight candidates will debate issues that matter to our communities. But my ppl, we don’t debate these things. We KNOW we should be treated as humans w/ dignity & respect” pic.twitter.com/qA9IdMUDdK— Sunrise Movement (@sunrisemvmt) July 31, 2019
As part of the protest, activists blocked entry into Canada approximately half a mile from the night's debate site:
“Hey hey, ho ho, racist ICE has got to go!”@CosechaMovement is blockading the Canadian border in Detroit, right now. pic.twitter.com/Qf2CyVuj0h
— Julian Brave NoiseCat (@jnoisecat) July 31, 2019
Arrests begin for @CosechaMovement protestors in #Detroit as they refuse to move in support of immigrant rights. pic.twitter.com/p85CQ6AimB
— Kelly Rissman (@KellyRissman) July 31, 2019
"It's time to hold the political parties to a new standard," Movimiento Cosecha writes on its Dignity Plan 2020 website. "Opposing Trump's policies and returning to a status quo of silent deportations is not good enough. We must start a conversation about what dignity for immigrants really looks like."
The group's Twitter account additionally vowed "we're not messing around."