Rallies are set in Cincinnati for Friday and Saturday to protest a pair of policies involving immigration.The Cincinnati chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is gathering opponents of President Trump's ban on people traveling from certain Muslim-majority countries for a Friday event. The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled 5-4 in the administration's favor, saying such a ban is "squarely within the scope of Presidential authority under the INA" (Immigration and Nationality Act).
The "No Muslim Ban Ever" rally is set for 4-6 p.m. on the sidewalk around Fountain Square.
"We realize that the Supreme Court's decision is final, there's no appealing Supreme Court decisions," says CAIR-Cincinnati Executive Director Karen Dabdoub. "However, we feel that it is still very important for us to raise our voices in opposition to the decision and to the discriminatory intent that was behind the executive order that was part of this case."
Immigration Practices
Protests are planned nationwide on Saturday to oppose how immigrants, primarily those along the southern U.S. border, are treated when seeking asylum or once their in the country.
The Families Belong Together protests are supported by MoveOn.org. Organizers say the goal is to call on the Trump administration to stop separating families at the border.
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered an end to the practice and said those already separated be reunited within 30 days.
Jessica McCarty-Kern is helping organize a rally in Oxford. She wants to bring concerned community members together to express solidarity.
"This whole situation is very troubling, as a mom," she says. "We say we're a country that stands behind family values and this [policy] isn't showing that. I'd really like to show family values and treat people as we say we do, which is that everyone is created equally."
Four local rallies are planned for Saturday:
- Cincinnati - Washington Park, 11 a.m.
- Dayton - Montgomery County Courthouse Square, 11 a.m.
- Oxford - Memorial Park, 11 a.m.
- Richmond, IN - Richmond City Building, 1 p.m.
