DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) – Protesters gathered outside of Congressman Mike Gallagher’s De Pere office on Tuesday, as they continue to push for the closure of immigrant detention centers at the U.S. southern border.
Sally Ann Brickner was just one of the dozens assembled in mid-summer heat to voice their outrage over the unsatisfactory treatment of immigrant children at the border.
She thinks any parent should be outraged by what’s taking place.
“It’s heartbreaking, I think of the millions of families in the United States who would never let this happen to people in their family,” explains Brickner. “They too have to feel this is horrible and an unlawful policy.”
The group’s goal, according to Brickner, is to have Congressman Gallagher and other state lawmakers withhold funding for the facilities and force the Trump administration to close them.
Other protesters insisted that the issue is humanitarian at its heart, rather than political.
“Children should never be used as political pawns, they should be protected,” explains Avery Garcia. “I just can’t believe we are here having to tell people that kids shouldn’t be kept in cages, they should be fed, have clean clothes, those are basic necessities.”
Congressman Gallagher was not in his office at the time of the protest.
His spokesperson did issue the following statement:
“Last week Congressman Gallagher voted to significantly increase funding to provide emergency relief and care at migrant shelters and has worked with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reduce our immigration backlog and keep families seeking asylum together.”
Later on, it states that Congressman Gallagher is committed to addressing the crisis at the border in a bipartisan fashion.
Protest organizers say they reached out to Congressman Gallagher, but have not heard back from him.
Those in attendance have now started circulating a petition that they plan to send to him in the coming weeks.
