Reprinted with permission from Shareblue.
Children descended on the U.S. Senate to protest the cruel treatment of families at the border. They wrapped themselves in Mylar blankets of the same sort seen in photos of immigrant children lying on the floors of government facilities.
The children sat in the lobby of the Russell Senate office building and were prayed over by an assembly of clergy.
Republican senators have refused to support legislation backed by all Democrats to end the abuse of migrant children.
Protesters held signs that said, “No Tents, No Cages.”
The Trump administration is currently erecting a so-called tent city Texas to house thousands of children separated from their families.
Children put on Mylar blankets in Senate office building to symbolize detained undocumented immigrant children. pic.twitter.com/LcPZhAih8I
— Nathan Baca (@NathanABC7) June 21, 2018
We’re here at the Russell Senate Office Building as faith leaders including #Franciscan friars bless children and pray for those currently in detention. #FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/RTlNuB4A1X
— FranciscanActionNet (@franciscannet) June 21, 2018
“No tents” “No cages”
Children & clergy members with Mylar blankets in the Russell Rotunda in protest over the children separated from their parents on the border pic.twitter.com/glXwqb8M6o— Angelica Alvarez (@Alvarez_TVNews) June 21, 2018
#FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/dNH6jWA7xj
— FranciscanActionNet (@franciscannet) June 21, 2018
— FranciscanActionNet (@franciscannet) June 21, 2018
— ACLU People Power Fairfax (@ACLUPowerNoVA) June 21, 2018
The demonstration happened in the full view of the senators and their staffers who work out of the building.
A statement from Franciscan Action said the blankets “symbolize the spaces where children are being housed in Texas against their will.”
The clergy at the event prayed with the children to call on Congress to stop the Trump administration’s policy forcing families to be separated.
Bishop Dwayne Royster spoke at the protest, saying, “We are all God’s children. Let us see each other as God’s children.”
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach, a ministry of the Columban Fathers, also took part in the protest.
In social media posts they noted, “As Catholics, Christ calls us to welcome the stranger (Matt. 25: 35) and our scriptures tells us to love immigrants as ourselves (Lev. 19:33-34). Everything about our faith calls us to protect the vulnerable. #FamiliesBelongTogether”
Protesters also chanted “shame” and called out the Trump administration “for treating asylum-seeking immigrants like criminals and animals.”
Shame on the Trump administration for treating asylum-seeking immigrants like criminals and animals cc @FIAnational #FreedomForImmigrants #FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/ww52kb3Aa5
— ACLU People Power Fairfax (@ACLUPowerNoVA) June 21, 2018
Trump has done a photo op signing of an executive order in an attempt to tamp down criticism of his inhumane policy. But the underlying issue of thousands of children separated from their families remains in place.
First lady Melania Trump has also been deployed as part of an administration propaganda campaign to short circuit widespread horror about the detention of children.
The faith community has shown through this protest and its straightforward condemnation of Trump’s actions that it is focused on protecting children.
Millions of caring Americans aren’t fooled by Trump and the Republican Party’s weak distraction attempts.
