FMLN USA

Thousands March Against Deportation in United States

Thousands of undocumented immigrants and their supporters rallied across the United States on Saturday as part of a national day of action called “Two Million Too Many" – activists’ latest effort to urge President Barack Obama to use his executive powers to scale back deportations.

Protesters gathered outside government offices and detention facilities where undocumented immigrants are transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation.

Organizers said the campaign was prompted by the Obama administration’s record deportations, which are anticipated to hit the milestone of 2 million removals since he took office.

Halting deportations is neccesary, advocates say, because many of those in detention could one day benefit from eventual reform.

In Atlanta, protesters told Al Jazeera correspondent Robert Ray that the Latino community is bearing the brunt of a failed immigration policy. "You don't see Canadians being deported in numbers. Why is the Latino community being persecuted?" said Paulina Helm-Hernandez, co-director of rights group Southerners on New Ground. "We are calling on President Obama to save hard-working families so that generations of people can help America."

In Washington, D.C., on Saturday, families of undocumented immigrants vowed to maintain an indefinite presence at the White House until Obama stops deportations and reunites them with loved ones currently held in detention.

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