Protesters criticize immigration crackdowns at ‘Rage Against the Regime’ rally

State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez, D-Smyrna, a speaker at the rally and a son of immigrants from Columbia, said local businesses have been impacted by the immigration crackdowns. He denounced the June arrest of 12 migrant employees at a nail salon in Cobb County — part of a larger federal effort to curb illegal immigration.

“Unfortunately, it’s scaring a lot of people in our community,” Sanchez told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “A lot of local Latino businesses are having less clients come in.”

John Morris, secretary and treasurer of 50501 Georgia, called for an end to masked and unmarked immigration enforcement operations, which have elicited controversy in recent months. He also criticized President Donald Trump’s attempt to terminate Temporary Protected Status and objected the administration’s plans to end birthright citizenship.

“The vast majority of people detained by ICE are not criminals, and they do not pose a material flight risk,” Morris said to the crowd, “yet they’re locked up in for-profit prisons rather than using cheaper, community-based alternatives that have high compliance rates. That’s not good policy. That’s just cruelty.”

The protesters marched from the King Center to the Atlanta ICE field office, carrying signs and international flags. They stopped briefly at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church, the oldest Black congregation in the city, where the Rev. Lairalaine Morgan White voiced support with the rally.

“We’re going to make sure that we stand,” White said. “We’re going to stand tall.”

Quentin “Coach Q” Pullen, a dual-service veteran from Fayetteville, also attended Saturday’s rally. He said he became involved with 50501 in January because he was concerned about immigrants’ rights. Pullen works on the board of directors for 50501’s Georgia chapter.

“I didn’t fight for this country and go to war to see our country being denigrated like this right now,” Pullen said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in March announced the state would further partner with ICE to arrest and remove illegal migrants through 287(g), a program that permits local law enforcement officers to perform some of the actions of immigration agents. He said the partnership would improve public safety and border security.

“If you are in our country illegally and committing crimes, you have no place in Georgia,” Kemp said in a statement.

“Rage Against the Regime” protests also took place in Augusta, Decatur and Fayetteville. At least 300 demonstrations took place across the country, according to reports.

“We all share so much commonality in the fact that we are all just struggling to get by,” Sanchez said to the AJC. “Just trying to provide for our families and our loved ones.”