Folks streamed right into a grassy space exterior the Indianapolis Worldwide Airport’s arrival pickup zone Monday night. They held indicators opposing the journey ban and chanted, “No hate, no worry. Immigrants are welcome right here.”
The rally was a response to the travel ban President Donald Trump imposed for 12 countriesthat went into impact that morning. These international locations embrace Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, Chad and Haiti. Extra international locations akin to Cuba and Venezuela now have heightened restrictions.
Cole Varga, CEO of Exodus Refugee and Immigration, stated the ban concentrate on visa overstays is deceptive.
“Many immigrants overstay their visas as a result of they face a damaged U.S. immigration system and since it isn’t protected to go house,” he stated.
Exodus Refugee Immigration, ACLU of Indiana, the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Community and a number of other different organizations organized the rally.
Some in attendance stated it felt like déjà vu. Many participated in a similar rally in 2017, when President Donald Trump imposed a journey ban on a number of majority-Muslim international locations.
“Now we’re right here once more, dealing with one other journey ban from the Trump administration that targets our communities and insults our values,” stated Maliha Zafar, the manager director of the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Community.
She stated each bans incited worry in immigrant communities, however she stated there’s extra worry now, on this second Trump administration.
“There’s a unique vibe now, and it’s scary,” Zafar stated. “Folks had been scared then, we’re scared now. And actually what? It’s simply discriminatory this band, it’s pointless. It doesn’t preserve our communities protected.”
Extra Trump administration insurance policies which have impacted immigrant communities embrace the termination of refugee resettlement packages, elevated detainments, and the cancellation of some humanitarian paroles and momentary protected statuses.
For attendees like Indianapolis resident Malkah Chook, the protest is a option to push again in opposition to all of these federal actions.
“That is simply one of many ways in which we are able to come out and help and present that we strongly disagree with this, that we don’t imagine in banning anyone,” Chook stated.
Contact WFYI All Issues Thought of newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org or on Sign at SamHorton.05.
