Fifty-six more New Yorkers were arrested in lower Manhattan during a demonstration against the current U.S. immigration policy.
Today’s protest was aimed at President Obama’s announcement to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as well as his call for $500 million for increased enforcement measures.
Signs in front of 26 Federal Plaza read "Immigration Reform NOW!", "Stop Tearing Families Apart!" and "Obama: We Voted for Change, Not This!"
There have been 109 arrests during three weeks of civil disobedience actions in NY alone.
New York is playing a lead role in a growing national movement of nonviolent civil disobedience. The series of civil disobedience actions began on May 17th, when 16 New Yorkers were arrested. The following week, 37, more people — including politicians, were arrested in a similar action.
On March 21st , there was a rally in the nation’s capital that drew over 200,000; and on May 1st, nationwide rallies turned out hundreds of thousands. Recent civil disobedience actions have also taken place in Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, Tucson, Detroit, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The arrested participants released a joint statement concerning Tuesday's protests saying, "Our act of civil disobedience is performed with the belief that our laws can -- and should--be better, and that our nation's leaders cannot stand on the sidelines as our society's core values are betrayed by a broken and immoral immigration system."
