Baltimore protesters take stand against Trump administration's immigration crackdown
BALTIMORE -- Hundreds of protesters in Baltimore's Highlandtown community rallied on Monday against the Trump administration's new immigration policies.
Immigration agents have been raiding cities and Latino communities across the country to crack down on illegal immigration.
Protesters in Baltimore walked half of a mile from the Enoch Pratt Library to Patterson Park, chanting and holding up signs and flags from more than a dozen Hispanic and Latin American countries.
"If we are silent, things will continue," said Angelo Solera with Nuestras Raices Inc.
An average of 1,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested each day since President Trump took office, according to ICE data.
"We are not criminals"
About 200 people in Baltimore protested the immigration raids happening across the country.
"Our community contributes tremendously to this nation, but we are only talked about being criminals," said Angelo Solera.
Solera said he migrated to America from Spain in 44 years ago. He told WJZ he feels as much pride in being an American as he does being a Spaniard. He said these illegal immigration raids feel personal.
"We are not criminals, we are people, we are workers, we are teachers, we are doctors, we are lawyers, we are citizens," Solera said.
Other protesters agree these raids are not right, and it's causing fear in their communities.
"It's very disruptive and also it creates chaos and animosity among people who are showing their racism when it shouldn't be there," said Ileana Martinez-Castillo.
"The system is broken"
Dozens of protests across the nation are denouncing the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigrants.
"We're here, we contribute to the community in Baltimore and Maryland," a protester said. "We do what we can to sustain our families but also we also have to remember that we are the heart of the Latino community."
WJZ asked those protesting what they would say to people who argue immigrants should find legal ways to enter the country.
"It's very complicated," Solera said. "You have people who have been in this country, working, paying taxes, bought homes and opened businesses. They have children and grandchildren, and they don't have immigration papers because the system is broken. Only so many people can access immigration documentation."
As the protesters fight to fix what they call a broken system, they are also fighting for the people who have built families and lives in America.
"Yes, it is scary, but our community has been put through other things before as well, and we're not going to stop fighting for our freedom here in this country," a protester said.