The Rev. Jesse Jackson Wednesday urged citizens to “counterattack the attack” on immigrants by the Trump administration.
Standing with other area leaders at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters, Jackson also asked for help and support of immigrants amid the raids ordered by President Donald Trump.
Jackson said it was “inhumane” to keep children away from their families and locked in cages.
“Today the president still has the power of redemption,” Jackson said. “He has the power to reconnect children with their families. The power to set the captive free.”
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition announced in June that they would be sending aid to immigrants at the U.S-Mexico border. The coalition is collecting diapers, undergarments, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other hygiene products to be given by the end of the month to the Annunciation House, a nonprofit based in El Paso.
Annunciation House runs 25 “hospitality sites” for immigrants recently released from detention centers. The organization received hundreds of immigrants a day, according to reports.
The Rev. William Hall, founder of Acts of Love, said Jackson inspired him to visit the detention centers in Texas and witness firsthand the treatment of children held there.
“This is a human rights issue. It’s not Democrat, it’s not Republican. It’s about the rights of our children,” Hall said. “To sit back and watch is wrong.”
During his trip, Hall said he saw hungry children who were sharing a toilet with 30 to 40 others.
